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Porsche Taycan 4S deemed as 'Best Electric Car in the World'

The Porsche Taycan 4S. (Credit: Porsche AG)

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The Porsche Taycan 4S was recently recognized as “The Best Electric Car in the World” by British media outlet The Sun.

The publication recognized the German car as the best available electric car today because of its performance, price, and Porsche’s exceptional history as an auto manufacturer.

While Tesla has maintained itself as the world’s leading electric car manufacturer, some believe Porsche’s rich history of producing high-performance vehicles and extensive experience in the auto industry is enough to recognize the Taycan as the best battery-powered car in the world.

“The cream always rises to the top. Tesla can’t hold a candle to German engineering,” the article states.

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Porsche initially offered two other variants of the Taycan, the Turbo and Turbo S, following its unveiling in September. In October, the German automaker expanded its Taycan lineup by releasing the 4S for a price of $103,800, undercutting the more expensive, more powerful Turbo version by around $46,000.

After talking about the Taycan in a positive manner that it deserves, the article goes on to mention that Tesla’s only comparable vehicle is the Model S packed with Ludicrous Mode. The writer states that it “is still quickest and Tesla has a serious headstart with its own Supercharger Network. Elon Musk should also be commended for forcing the likes of Porsche and Audi (with the upcoming e-tron GT) to act.”

Elon Musk has always stated that the competition does not lie within other electric vehicle companies, but rather, the manufacturers that continue to produce petrol-based automobiles that contribute to the climate crisis. However, the Model S is not the most comparable vehicle to the Taycan 4S. The Model 3 Performance is.

The Taycan 4S offers 571 horsepower from a 93 kWh battery pack, and it is capable of going from 0 to 62 mph in 4 seconds. These figures are most comparable to the Tesla Model 3 Performance, which offers 580 horsepower from a 75 kWh battery pack and a 3.2 second 0-60 mph time. The kicker is the Model 3 Performance sells for just about 54% of the price of the Taycan 4S.

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Range between the two vehicles is also very different. The WLTP gives the Model 3 Performance a 329-mile rating and the Taycan 4S 207-253 miles with its optional battery upgrade add-on. This is significantly better than the Turbo variant, which received a 201-mile range rating from the EPA.

While it is understandable that Porsche’s new Taycan variants are impressive and a step in the right direction for the German automaker, it is tough to solidify it as “the best electric car in the world”, especially since production has not begun and won’t begin until June 2020.

Meanwhile, the Model 3 continues to establish itself as one of the most popular electric cars in the world, and it continues to gain accolades for its driving dynamics and tech. Tesla delivered over 92,500 Model 3s in Q4 of 2019. If a buyer is looking for a bang-for-your-buck vehicle that can stand toe-to-toe against the best ICE-powered high-performance sedans, the Model 3 Performance definitely fits the bill.

The writer of the article hailing the Taycan as the best EV in the world said, “Show me anything better and I’ll buy you a pint.”

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Well, looks like someone owes me a pint.

Joey has been a journalist covering electric mobility at TESLARATI since August 2019. In his spare time, Joey is playing golf, watching MMA, or cheering on any of his favorite sports teams, including the Baltimore Ravens and Orioles, Miami Heat, Washington Capitals, and Penn State Nittany Lions. You can get in touch with joey at joey@teslarati.com. He is also on X @KlenderJoey. If you're looking for great Tesla accessories, check out shop.teslarati.com

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Tesla FSD (Supervised) could be approved in the Netherlands next month: Musk

Musk shared the update during a recent interview at Giga Berlin.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla CEO Elon Musk shared that Full Self-Driving (FSD) could receive regulatory approval in the Netherlands as soon as March 20, potentially marking a major step forward for Tesla’s advanced driver-assistance rollout in Europe.

Musk shared the update during a recent interview at Giga Berlin, noting that the date was provided by local authorities.

“Tesla has the most advanced real-world AI, and hopefully, it will be approved soon in Europe. We’re told by the authorities that March 20th, it’ll be approved in the Netherlands,’ what I was told,” Musk stated

“Hopefully, that date remains the same. But I think people in Europe are going to be pretty blown away by how good the Tesla car AI is in being able to drive.”

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Tesla’s FSD system relies on vision-based neural networks trained on real-world driving data, allowing vehicles to navigate using cameras and AI rather than traditional sensor-heavy solutions. 

The performance of FSD Supervised has so far been impressive. As per Tesla’s safety report, Full Self-Driving Supervised has already traveled 8.3 billion miles. So far, vehicles operating with FSD Supervised engaged recorded one major collision every 5,300,676 miles. 

In comparison, Teslas driven manually with Active Safety systems recorded one major collision every 2,175,763 miles, while Teslas driven manually without Active Safety recorded one major collision every 855,132 miles. The U.S. average during the same period was one major collision every 660,164 miles.

If approval is granted on March 20, the Netherlands could become the first European market to greenlight Tesla’s latest supervised FSD (Supervised) software under updated regulatory frameworks. Tesla has been working to secure expanded FSD access across Europe, where regulatory standards differ significantly from those in the United States. Approval in the Netherlands would likely serve as a foundation for broader EU adoption, though additional country-level clearances may still be required.

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Elon Musk estimates Tesla Semi could reach Europe next year

“We’ve got the Tesla Semi coming out, the heavy truck, and that’ll be going to Europe hopefully next year,” Musk said.

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is preparing to expand its all-electric Semi truck program to Europe, with CEO Elon Musk indicating that the Class 8 vehicle could arrive in the region 2027.

Musk shared his update during an interview about Giga Berlin with plant manager André Thierig, which was posted on X by the official Tesla Manufacturing account.

“We’ve got the Tesla Semi coming out, the heavy truck, and that’ll be going to Europe hopefully next year,” he said.

Tesla has already begun limited production and customer deployments of the Tesla Semi in the United States, with the company working to scale output through the Semi factory near Giga Nevada. Considering Musk’s comments, it appears that a European rollout would be the next phase of the vehicle’s expansion beyond North America.

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Musk’s use of the word “hopefully” leaves room for flexibility, but the remark signals that Europe is next in Tesla’s commercial expansion plans.

Musk has consistently argued that electrification should extend beyond passenger vehicles. During the same interview, he reiterated his view that “all ground transport should be electric,” adding that ships, and eventually aircraft, would follow.

The Semi plays a central role in that strategy. Heavy-duty freight remains one of the most emissions-intensive segments of road transport, and European regulators have increasingly pushed for lower-emission commercial fleets. 

Tesla recently refreshed the Semi lineup on its official website, listing two variants: Standard and Long Range. The Standard trim offers up to 325 miles of range with an energy consumption rating of 1.7 kWh per mile, while the Long Range version provides up to 500 miles, which should be more than ample for European routes.

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Tesla Cybercab coming next to Giga Berlin, Optimus possibly after

“From a next major product standpoint, I think most likely is the Tesla Cybercab,” Musk said.

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Credit: Cybercab

Tesla could add the Cybercab and Optimus humanoid robot to the production lineup at Giga Berlin, as per recent comments from CEO Elon Musk. 

During a recent interview with Giga Berlin plant manager André Thierig, Musk identified the Cybercab as the most likely next major product for the German factory, with Optimus potentially following after.

“From a next major product standpoint, I think most likely is the Tesla Cybercab,” Musk said. He added that there are also “possibilities of Tesla Optimus” being produced in the facility.

Tesla has already begun production of the Cybercab in Giga Texas, with volume production expected to ramp this year. Based on Musk’s comments, it appears that if conditions align in Europe, Giga Berlin could eventually join that effort.

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The CEO’s comments about Optimus coming to Gigafactory Berlin are quite unsurprising too considering that Musk has mentioned in the past that the humanoid robot will likely be Tesla’s highest volume product in the long run. 

Giga Berlin will likely be able to produce mass volumes of Optimus, as the Model S and Model X lines being converted to an Optimus line in the Fremont Factory are already expected to produce 1 million units of the humanoid robot annually. 

Apart from his comments about the Cybercab and Optimus, Elon Musk also confirmed that Giga Berlin has started ramping battery cell production and will continue expanding Model Y output, particularly as supervised Full Self-Driving (FSD) gains regulatory approvals in Europe.

Taken together, the remarks suggest Berlin’s role could evolve beyond vehicle assembly into a broader multi-product manufacturing hub, not just a regional Model Y plant.

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