Porsche and Mercedes want electric cars that can fight Tesla
German automakers aren't strangers to high-end electric cars, but they've typically focused on supercars instead of sedans -- a problem when Tesla is rapidly encroaching on their business. At last, though, it appears that die Deutschen are gearing up to fight Tesla on its home turf. Manager Magazin has sources claiming that Porsche and Mercedes-Benz are developing all-electric vehicles that would gun directly after the Model S. Details of these new rides are scarce, but they'd reportedly have a range of at least 250 miles. Porsche's car would be a smaller take on the Panamera you see here, while Mercedes has so far committed only to an EV that would compare to its E- or S-class sedans.
Don't cancel your P85D reservation just yet, though. As you might have gathered, both projects are believed to be in the early stages. Porsche's electric sedan wouldn't arrive until 2018, while Mercedes may not have something to show until 2021. That slow response could give Tesla plenty of time to build up an audience, and the competition may only get fiercer when the more affordable Model 3 hits the road.
