If you were to simply look at the claimed acceleration figures of the Tesla Model S Performance and Porsche Taycan Turbo S published by the respective automakers, it would be easy to conclude that the Tesla is the quicker of the two. Engineering Explained isn’t so sure.
In a new video from the always-entertaining and educational YouTube channel, all the important numbers that go into launching a car off the line are crunched. The result may upset and surprise the Tesla faithful.
Let The Debate Begin: Top Gear Pits Porsche Taycan Turbo S Against Tesla Model S Performance
First and foremost, we get to see which of the two electric sedans has more wheel torque. On paper, the Taycan Turbo S’s rear electric motor delivers 610 Nm (449 lb-ft) of torque while the front electric motor churns out 440 Nm (324 lb-ft). By comparison, the Tesla Model S Performance is good for 720 Nm (531 lb-ft) at the rear and 420 Nm (309 lb-ft) at the front.
However, things aren’t that simple as to get an accurate wheel torque figure, you need analyze the gear ratios. When you do this it’s revealed that the Taycan Turbo S has 13,035 Nm (9,614 lb-ft) of wheel torque compared to the Tesla’s 10,925 Nm (8,057 lb-ft).
The next thing to look at is the wheel and tire specifications of the two cars. The 21-inch rims of the Porsche feature much wider tires than the Tesla, measuring 265 mm at the front and 305 mm at the rear compared to the 245 mm front and 265 mm rear tires of the Tesla.
The final two calculations relate to the respective weights of the two cars as well as their torque curves. Theoretically, it is revealed that the Taycan Turbo S can hit 30 mph (48 km/h) in 0.86 seconds and 60 mph (96 km/h) in 1.80-seconds compared to the 0-30 mph time of 0.98 seconds for the Model S Performance and its 0-60 mph time of 1.96-seconds. Beyond 60 mph, it is very hard to determine which will be quicker.