News
Porsche begins to market the Taycan in dealerships through customer deposit program
The Porsche Taycan is expected to be released sometime next year, but the German legacy automaker is already starting its marketing efforts for the all-electric car. The stakes are high for the carmaker — if it can design the Taycan in such a way that it rivals the best electric vehicles on the market like the Tesla Model S, the company can establish itself as a leader in the emerging EV market. If the car comes up short of expectations, the Taycan will end up being delegated as a footnote in the list of electric cars that never reached their potential.
Porsche started accepting pre-orders for the vehicle earlier this year, though the company initially extended the offer to several selected countries such as Norway, partly due to the country’s open support for electric mobility. The pre-orders for the vehicle were extended to the United States recently as well, by means of a Deposit Option Program for customers residing in the country. Interested buyers can fill up an online form to be part of the program, after which they will be sent information and updates about the electric car from a selected Porsche dealer. An example of a pre-order form for US-based Porsche Taycan customers can be accessed here.
Porsche is yet to reveal the final production version of the Taycan. The legacy carmaker still uses the Mission E sedan concept in its promotional materials for the upcoming electric car. A number of camouflaged test mules have been made, but the test vehicles are disguised with elements that will surely not make it to the production model, such as twin exhaust pipes at the rear. Despite not revealing the car’s final production model, Porsche Managing Director Alexander Pollich announced last month that the company is seeing a strong, positive reception to the vehicle so far.
Among the legacy automakers that are currently developing an all-electric car, Porsche appears to be one of the most serious about its desire to transition into the electric mobility age. As details of the Taycan trickled out over the years, it became quite evident that the all-electric, four-door sedan would be a serious competitor to the mainstays of the EV industry like the Model S. Porsche even notes that the Taycan will have the same soul and pedigree found in its iconic gas-powered vehicles such as the Porsche 911. Former race car driver Mark Webber echoed this sentiment during a test drive of the car, stating that the Taycan handles and feels very much “like a Porsche.”
Back in 2014, Elon Musk stated that the hoped Tesla “could address the false perception that people have that an electric car had to be ugly and slow and boring like a golf cart.” Just a year after that, Porsche debuted the Mission E sedan concept car at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, and it has become a poster child for Porsche’s transition to electric mobility ever since. Porsche even expanded the Mission E line earlier this year, revealing a more rugged, off-road version of the vehicle dubbed as the Mission E Cross Turismo. The company also stated that by 2025, it aims for “every second Porsche sold to have an electric drive unit,” meaning half of its offerings would be fully electric while the other half will be plug-in hybrids.
The Porsche Taycan is expected to feature the legacy carmaker’s trademark performance, with the vehicle listed with a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, a range of 310 miles per charge, and a top speed of 155 mph. The electric car is expected to be produced at a facility located at Zuffenhausen, a suburb in Stuttgart, Germany — the same factory where Porsche manufactures some of its finest vehicles like the 911, 718 Boxster, and the 718 Cayman. Porsche is expecting to manufacture 20,000 Taycans per year when it begins production.
Elon Musk
SpaceX issues statement on Starship V3 Booster 18 anomaly
The incident unfolded during gas-system pressure testing at the company’s Massey facility in Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX has issued an initial statement about Starship Booster 18’s anomaly early Friday. The incident unfolded during gas-system pressure testing at the company’s Massey facility in Starbase, Texas.
SpaceX’s initial comment
As per SpaceX in a post on its official account on social media platform X, Booster 18 was undergoing gas system pressure tests when the anomaly happened. Despite the nature of the incident, the company emphasized that no propellant was loaded, no engines were installed, and personnel were kept at a safe distance from the booster, resulting in zero injuries.
“Booster 18 suffered an anomaly during gas system pressure testing that we were conducting in advance of structural proof testing. No propellant was on the vehicle, and engines were not yet installed. The teams need time to investigate before we are confident of the cause. No one was injured as we maintain a safe distance for personnel during this type of testing. The site remains clear and we are working plans to safely reenter the site,” SpaceX wrote in its post on X.
Incident and aftermath
Livestream footage from LabPadre showed Booster 18’s lower half crumpling around the liquid oxygen tank area at approximately 4:04 a.m. CT. Subsequent images posted by on-site observers revealed extensive deformation across the booster’s lower structure. Needless to say, spaceflight observers have noted that Booster 18 would likely be a complete loss due to its anomaly.
Booster 18 had rolled out only a day earlier and was one of the first vehicles in the Starship V3 program. The V3 series incorporates structural reinforcements and reliability upgrades intended to prepare Starship for rapid-reuse testing and eventual tower-catch operations. Elon Musk has been optimistic about Starship V3, previously noting on X that the spacecraft might be able to complete initial missions to Mars.
Investor's Corner
Tesla analyst maintains $500 PT, says FSD drives better than humans now
The team also met with Tesla leaders for more than an hour to discuss autonomy, chip development, and upcoming deployment plans.
Tesla (NASDAQ:TSLA) received fresh support from Piper Sandler this week after analysts toured the Fremont Factory and tested the company’s latest Full Self-Driving software. The firm reaffirmed its $500 price target, stating that FSD V14 delivered a notably smooth robotaxi demonstration and may already perform at levels comparable to, if not better than, average human drivers.
The team also met with Tesla leaders for more than an hour to discuss autonomy, chip development, and upcoming deployment plans.
Analysts highlight autonomy progress
During more than 75 minutes of focused discussions, analysts reportedly focused on FSD v14’s updates. Piper Sandler’s team pointed to meaningful strides in perception, object handling, and overall ride smoothness during the robotaxi demo.
The visit also included discussions on updates to Tesla’s in-house chip initiatives, its Optimus program, and the growth of the company’s battery storage business. Analysts noted that Tesla continues refining cost structures and capital expenditure expectations, which are key elements in future margin recovery, as noted in a Yahoo Finance report.
Analyst Alexander Potter noted that “we think FSD is a truly impressive product that is (probably) already better at driving than the average American.” This conclusion was strengthened by what he described as a “flawless robotaxi ride to the hotel.”
Street targets diverge on TSLA
While Piper Sandler stands by its $500 target, it is not the highest estimate on the Street. Wedbush, for one, has a $600 per share price target for TSLA stock.
Other institutions have also weighed in on TSLA stock as of late. HSBC reiterated a Reduce rating with a $131 target, citing a gap between earnings fundamentals and the company’s market value. By contrast, TD Cowen maintained a Buy rating and a $509 target, pointing to strong autonomous driving demonstrations in Austin and the pace of software-driven improvements.
Stifel analysts also lifted their price target for Tesla to $508 per share over the company’s ongoing robotaxi and FSD programs.
Elon Musk
SpaceX Starship Version 3 booster crumples in early testing
Photos of the incident’s aftermath suggest that Booster 18 will likely be retired.
SpaceX’s new Starship first-stage booster, Booster 18, suffered major damage early Friday during its first round of testing in Starbase, Texas, just one day after rolling out of the factory.
Based on videos of the incident, the lower section of the rocket booster appeared to crumple during a pressurization test. Photos of the incident’s aftermath suggest that Booster 18 will likely be retired.
Booster test failure
SpaceX began structural and propellant-system verification tests on Booster 18 Thursday night at the Massey’s Test Site, only a few miles from Starbase’s production facilities, as noted in an Ars Technica report. At 4:04 a.m. CT on Friday, a livestream from LabPadre Space captured the booster’s lower half experiencing a sudden destructive event around its liquid oxygen tank section. Post-incident images, shared on X by @StarshipGazer, showed notable deformation in the booster’s lower structure.
Neither SpaceX nor Elon Musk had commented as of Friday morning, but the vehicle’s condition suggests it is likely a complete loss. This is quite unfortunate, as Booster 18 is already part of the Starship V3 program, which includes design fixes and upgrades intended to improve reliability. While SpaceX maintains a rather rapid Starship production line in Starbase, Booster 18 was generally expected to validate the improvements implemented in the V3 program.
Tight deadlines
SpaceX needs Starship boosters and upper stages to begin demonstrating rapid reuse, tower catches, and early operational Starlink missions over the next two years. More critically, NASA’s Artemis program depends on an on-orbit refueling test in the second half of 2026, a requirement for the vehicle’s expected crewed lunar landing around 2028.
While SpaceX is known for diagnosing failures quickly and returning to testing at unmatched speed, losing the newest-generation booster at the very start of its campaign highlights the immense challenge involved in scaling Starship into a reliable, high-cadence launch system. SpaceX, however, is known for getting things done quickly, so it would not be a surprise if the company manages to figure out what happened to Booster 18 in the near future.
SpaceX issues statement on Starship V3 Booster 18 anomaly
Tesla analyst maintains $500 PT, says FSD drives better than humans now
