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Porsche Mission E caught testing against Teslas



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It's been about two years since Porsche revealed its slinky Mission E concept, which promised Tesla-matching range and performance with Porsche's driving dynamic expertise. Now we finally get a look at one on the road. It looks like the Mission E is far along in development, and it seems that Porsche is very serious about taking on Tesla, since the car was being driven alongside both a Model S and a Model X.

Focusing on the Porsche itself, though, the design does appear to have been toned down significantly. The ultra-low hood and extra-tall fenders of the concept have been raised and lowered respectively for a much less dramatic nose. The bulging fenders have also been constrained a bit.

But the overall look still draws from the concept. The car is still very low in profile, with a low belt line. The rear fenders still look wide in trademark Porsche fashion, and they're highlighted by the wide corporate taillight band on the back. Other details from the concept include the side vents on the fenders, the big diffuser at the tail, and the vents in the front bumper that descend from the headlights. Those headlights also look to be similar slim units to the concept's. One other fun detail are the faux exhaust tips on the back to throw off spy photographers and passers-by.

Porsche has previously said that the Mission E would reach production by 2020, and according to our friends at Engadget, it should go on sale in 2019. Based on how complete the cars in these photos appear to be, we think the company has a good chance of hitting that target. When the concept was shown, Porsche promised 590 horsepower and, on the European test cycle, a range of over 310 miles. Also interesting was the concept's claimed 800-volt electrical system that could be charged to 80 percent capacity in 15 minutes. Time will tell whether that system comes to fruition, but Porsche has at least tested some portion of the system on its Le Mans-winning 919 Hybrid race cars. Porsche also expects to sell the car for $80,000 to $90,000. All these features taken together would definitely make for a compelling Tesla alternative.

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