Since retiring from racing, Australia’s Mark Webber has been working with Porsche to help develop its latest and greatest models. He’s played a role in the creation of recent cars like the 911 GT2 RS and recently had an opportunity to take the all-electric Mission E for a spin.
Set to launch as Porsche’s first all-electric production vehicle, the Mission E is a sedan with a striking resemblance to the original Mission E concept. It will be a direct rival to the Tesla Model S, despite Porsche’s insistence that it’s not benchmarking against the Tesla – even though a prototype was spotted with a couple of Teslas (a Model S and a Model X) in tow…
The Mission E’s powertrain details remain unconfirmed, but we know that it will have over 600 hp in range-topping guise and be able to sprint to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 3.5 seconds. Impressively, the vehicle’s range will exceed 500 km (310 miles). An entry-level model with around 400 HP and a mid-level variant with roughly 536 HP are also rumored to be in the works.
Performance, looks and Porsche-ness
Recently, the German car manufacturer said that the Mission E “will be the sportiest and most technologically advanced vehicle in its class.”
Another selling point of the Mission E will be its fast charging capabilities that could top up the battery to 80 per cent charge in 20 minutes or less.
Admittedly, Mission E owners will almost never take their cars to the track, but Webber, a former F1 racer and Le Mans winner, nevertheless explored the electric saloon’s limits and analyzed its handling at Porsche’s own Weissach test track. Unsurprisingly, he appears impressed – but let’s see what he has to say in the following video.