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Porsche Taycan interior space seems closer to a Tesla Model 3 than a Model S

(Credit: ThomasGeigerCar/YouTube)

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A walkthrough video featuring one of Porsche’s Taycan prototypes has provided an idea about the interior space of the German automaker’s highly-anticipated all-electric sedan. While still camouflaged, it was quite evident that in terms of interior space, the Taycan appears to be closer to the Tesla Model 3 than the Model S.

Auto YouTuber and Porsche enthusiast ThomasGeigerCar was able to get a close look at a camouflaged Taycan prototype. Similar to other reviewers who have interacted with the vehicle, Thomas was impressed with the Taycan’s driving capabilities, which is specifically being designed by the company to be just as compelling as their other iconic creations like the legendary 911. The reviewer also added that in terms of size, the Taycan is expected to be a bit smaller than the Panamera, Porsche’s premier four-seater. 

A good part of the review involved a look at the interior space of the upcoming all-electric vehicle. Based on footage taken inside the Taycan’s camouflaged interior, it seems like there is ample space for passengers in front, though similar to other vehicles in the company’s lineup, seating appears to be quite low. The back seats of the Taycan appear to be another story, as they seem to be quite cramped. Headroom at the back seats seems adequate at best as well. 

It should be noted that the Taycan prototype that was featured in the review is a camouflaged unit, which means that several aspects of the vehicle could still change in its production version. The roof of the production Taycan would likely not be as simple as the prototype’s, for example, and this could result in improvements for the rear seats’ headroom. Nevertheless, it is still evident that the overall space at the Taycan prototype’s rear seems notably smaller than that of the Tesla Model S, a vehicle that is being considered as its main competition. 

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The Porsche Taycan has spent several years in development, and during that time, it has been framed as a vehicle that can challenge the Model S, which has been making waves in the large premium sedan market. Considering that Porsche already has the Panamera, it is understandable that the company is making the Taycan more compact than its own large four-seater. Unfortunately, this strategy would likely make the Taycan’s interior space closer to the Tesla Model 3, which is more affordable. 

Yet, despite the Taycan’s rear not being as spacious as the Tesla Model S, the vehicle would likely play a big role in the electrification of Porsche’s lineup of vehicles. The automaker, after all, is not a mass-market brand, which means that the Taycan, instead of attracting customers away from a Model S or Model 3, will likely attract potential car buyers from the internal combustion engine. And for a company like Porsche which has already sworn off diesel, the Taycan’s characteristics, from its driving dynamics to its interior, could very well be part of a long-term plan. 

Watch ThomasGeigerCar‘s review of the Porsche Taycan’s interior in the video below. 

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Simon is an experienced automotive reporter with a passion for electric cars and clean energy. Fascinated by the world envisioned by Elon Musk, he hopes to make it to Mars (at least as a tourist) someday. For stories or tips--or even to just say a simple hello--send a message to his email, simon@teslarati.com or his handle on X, @ResidentSponge.

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Elon Musk secretly acquires $1B energy company to power the AI future

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Gage Skidmore, CC BY-SA 4.0 , via Wikimedia Commons

Elon Musk flew under the radar with his recent purchase of a $1 billion energy company, according to Federal Trade Commission (FTC) documents.

Transaction number 202612350 listed Tesla and SpaceX frontman Elon Musk as the acquiring party and CF APR Super Holdings LLC as the seller, with New APR Energy, LLC as the acquired entity. The deal, which closed without public announcement, came to light on May 14.

Analysts inferred the deal’s scale from minority stakeholder disclosures, including one report of a 5 percent interest sold for approximately $50.4 million. Fortress Investment Group had purchased APR’s assets in late 2024, rebranded the operation as New APR Energy, and subsequently transferred ownership to Musk.

APR Energy specializes in rapidly deployable power infrastructure. The company maintains one of the world’s largest fleets of mobile gas and diesel turbines, with more than 1.1 gigawatts of generation capacity. Its modular units, which are often trailer-mounted, enable turnkey installations ranging from 20 MW to over 500 MW.

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APR provides full engineering, procurement, construction, operation, and maintenance services for behind-the-meter power plants, serving everything from data centers, utilities, and industrial clients.

The firm has expanded aggressively to meet surging demand, recently adding turbines and deploying over 100 MW for a major AI hyperscaler. Its solutions bridge critical gaps where grid interconnections face delays of two to five years, according to Yahoo.

The acquisition means something more for Musk. As he continues to expand projects in artificial intelligence, especially xAI, his AI venture, there is a greater need to supply energy-intensive supercomputing clusters, including the Colossus project, with what they need: reliable and high-capacity power.

Ownership of APR provides immediate access to flexible generation assets that can be deployed adjacent to data centers, reducing dependence on a strained infrastructure. It also complements Tesla’s energy storage business, so Musk will be able to pull from his own entities to address the rapid scaling demands of AI training and compute.

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Tesla has to fix a big problem with its old headlights, NHTSA says

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tesla model 3 first generation headlight
Credit: Tesla Asia/Twitter

Tesla had a petition protesting a recall to fix a potential issue with 2017-2023 Model Y and Model 3 vehicles’ headlights was denied, as the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) disagreed with the company’s opinion of things.

The recall covers approximately 19,917 Model Y and Model 3 vehicles built from 2017 to 2023. Tesla initially submitted a noncompliance report for the headlights on these vehicles on March 15, 2024. Tesla then petitioned for an exemption from the fix, which violated FMVSS No. 108 (40 CFR 571.108), arguing that the “noncompliance is inconsequential as it relates to motor vehicle safety.

The NHTSA disagreed, stating that Tesla’s conclusion that the headlights do not increase any risk was not an opinion it shared. The agency said it disagreed with Tesla’s assumption that glare is not increased to surrounding traffic. This issue could be highlighted even more in certain weather conditions.

Tesla will be required to remedy the issue, the NHTSA ruled:

“In consideration of the foregoing, NHTSA has decided that Tesla has not met its burden of persuasion that the subject FMVSS No. 108 noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety. Accordingly, Tesla’s petition is hereby denied, and Tesla is consequently obligated to provide notification of and free remedy for that noncompliance under 49 U.S.C. 30118 and 30120.”

The issue here appears to be the angle of the headlights and the brightness they emit during operation. The NHTSA report states that:

“Tesla’s headlamp supplier, Marelli Automotive Lighting, tested 25 right-hand and 25 left-hand lamps, and for this sample, found the maximum photometric intensity measured in the 10°U to 90°U and 90°L to 90°R zone was between 136.2 cd and 230.1 cd for the right-hand lamps and between 117.5 cd and 160.3 cd for the left-hand lamps. According to Tesla, these tests revealed that the photometric intensity of the right-hand and left-hand headlamp lower beam on the subject vehicles may measure as much as 230.1 cd in the 10°U to 90°U and 90°L to 90°R zone, exceeding the maximum photometric intensity by 105.1 cd. Additionally, Tesla states that a left-hand lamp tested by a Transport Canada recognized laboratory measured a maximum of 171.27 cd in the 10°U to 90°U and 90°L to 90°R zone. Despite these measurements exceeding the allowed photometric maximum of 125 cd, Tesla believes that the subject noncompliance is inconsequential to motor vehicle safety.”

Tesla also argued at some points that the headlights had not been deemed responsible for any complaints, accidents, or injuries related to the noncompliance.

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NTSB findings on fatal Tesla crash tell a very different story

The NTSB confirmed the driver, not Tesla’s FSD, caused the fatal Texas house crash.

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The National Transportation Safety Board released preliminary findings Wednesday confirming that a Tesla driver, not the vehicle’s software, caused a fatal crash in Katy, Texas in June. The driver, 44-year-old Michael Butler, had engaged Full Self-Driving Supervised mode on Rose Hollow Lane, a residential street with a 30 mph speed limit, before manually overriding the system by pressing the accelerator pedal all the way to 100%. Data recovered from the 2025 Tesla Model 3 showed the vehicle was traveling over 70 miles per hour when it struck a home and killed 76-year-old Martha Avila, who was inside. Weather was clear, the road was dry, and it was daylight.

Texas man charged in fatal Tesla crash where he blamed Autopilot

Butler told authorities he had passed out at the wheel. But security camera footage obtained by the NTSB told a different story, and showed the car accelerating through an intersection before leaving the road entirely. Police also found that Butler’s phone had Google searches including the terms “Tesla FSD not aggressive enough 2026” and “Tesla FSD too timid,” raising serious questions about how he was using the system before the crash. Butler has since been charged with manslaughter. The victim’s family has filed a lawsuit against both Butler and Tesla, alleging negligence.

The NTSB findings aligned directly with what Tesla VP of AI Software Ashok Elluswamy had already stated publicly on X in the weeks after the crash, writing that “the driver manually overrode self-driving by pressing the accelerator all the way to 100%.” The data confirmed his account.

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