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Tesla rival Porsche Taycan (Mission E) hits Nürburgring for high-speed testing

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The Porsche Taycan, formerly known as the Mission E sedan, was recently spotted doing some high-speed testing at Germany’s famed Nürburgring. As could be seen in a compilation of the all-electric car’s runs, it appears that the Taycan would be able to live up to Porsche’s statement that the vehicle would be capable of being driven hard for extended periods on the track.

The recent video of the Taycan’s high-speed Nürburgring run was uploaded by noted YouTube car enthusiast Automotive Mike, who was able to film the vehicle at multiple points in the 12.9-mile track. True to its pedigreed ICE-powered siblings, the Taycan looks very much at home on the Nürburgring, going through corners at high speed by taking advantage of its low center of gravity caused by its floor-mounted battery pack.

Unlike the recent advertisements for the vehicle, however, Porsche opted to drive a pre-production Taycan prototype around the track. The pre-production units of the Taycan feature several different elements from the original Mission E concept unveiled at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show. Porsche’s Mission E concept car has been received with acclaim, partly thanks to its futuristic design and unique elements such as its rear suicide doors. Compared to the Mission E concept, however, the design of the Porsche Taycan’s pre-production vehicle is rather tame. The Taycan’s rear, for one, has been changed from the concept car’s original design, as it now features a more traditional Porsche 911-esque theme. Fake exhaust pipes are also fitted in the pre-production Taycan, likely as a means to throw off onlookers.

The Taycan is expected to be released at some point next year. Designed as an all-electric all-wheel-drive vehicle, the Taycan is expected to compete in the same segment as Tesla’s flagship Model S sedan. The Taycan features some impressive specs to make it attractive on the market, including a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, a range of 310 miles, and a maximum speed of 155 mph. As noted by Porsche VP of Product Line BEV, Stefan Weckbach, the Taycan (dubbed as the Mission E sedan at the time) would establish itself as a track-worthy alternative to the Tesla Model S, an electric car that is quick on the drag strip but flawed on the track. With this in mind, it appears that Porche’s continued high-speed testing sessions on the Nürburgring are an attempt to ensure that when the car does get released, even hardcore Porsche owners can attest to the vehicle’s “soul” and racing pedigree.

While the Porsche Taycan would most definitely perform better than the current-generation Model S on the track, Tesla’s new vehicles could soon give the German legacy automaker some competition in places like the Nürburgring. The Model 3 Performance, for one, is expected to be a capable track vehicle, with Elon Musk stating that it would be 15% faster on a racecourse than a BMW M3. The Model 3 Performance’s listed specs are actually quite similar to the Taycan, with Tesla’s compact electric car having a 0-60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, a range of 310 miles, and a top speed of 155 mph. Once the production version of the Taycan is ready, it would likely be only a matter of time before auto enthusiasts would start pitting Porsche’s pedigreed electric car against the Model 3 Performance.

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Now as for how the Porsche Taycan would compare to Tesla’s oft-rumored upcoming update to the Model S? Well, that is an entirely different rabbit hole altogether.

Watch the Porsche Taycan (Mission E) take on the Nürburgring in its latest track testing session.

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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Tesla flexes its most impressive and longest Full Self-Driving demo yet

Tesla is flexing a lengthy Full Self-Driving demo from San Francisco to Los Angeles.

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tesla full self-driving demo from san francisco to los angeles
Credit: Tesla

Tesla its most impressive and longest demo of the Full Self-Driving suite, showing a zero-intervention trek from the San Francisco Bay Area to Los Angeles. The drive required no interventions from the vehicle operator, the video showed.

It also included a quick Supercharging stop about two-thirds of the way in.

Tesla has been extremely confident in the performance of the FSD suite since releasing it years ago. However, with improvements in data comprehension and storage with its neural nets, as well as a more refined Hardware system, FSD has made significant strides over the last year.

I took a Tesla Model Y weekend-long Demo Drive – Here’s what I learned

Tesla’s prowess with driving tech has established the company as one of the industry leaders.

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In a new video released on Tuesday, Tesla showed a drive of roughly 360 miles from San Francisco to Los Angeles, a trek of about six-and-a-half hours, with zero interventions using Full Self-Driving:

Full Self-Driving is not fully autonomous, but it does operate under what Tesla calls “Supervised” conditions. This means that the driver does not have to have their hands on the wheel, nor do they have to control the accelerator or brake.

Instead, Tesla’s internal cabin-facing camera tracks eye movement to ensure the driver is ready to take over at any time and is paying attention.

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The version of FSD used in this example is likely the version that the public has access to; the only differentiating factor would be the Hardware version, as older vehicles do not have HW4.

With Tesla’s Robotaxi suite in Austin operating since late June, the company stated that those vehicles are using a version that is not yet available to the public. It does not require anyone to be in the driver’s seat, which is how the vehicles are able to operate without anyone in the driver’s seat.

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Elon Musk’s new $29B Tesla stock award gets strange synopsis from governance firm

Did CGI not realize that Tesla Shareholders supported Musk being paid not once, but twice?

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elon musk speaking
Credit: TED

Elon Musk was recently awarded around $29 billion in Tesla stock as the company’s Board of Directors is attempting to get its CEO paid after his original pay package was denied twice by the Delaware Chancery Court.

But a new and strange synopsis from the Corporate Governance Institute (CGI) says the award is potentially a strength move to “endorse the will of a powerful CEO.” The problem is, in the same sentence, the firm said the new award brings up a “question of whether the board exists to steward a company in the interests of all stakeholders.”

The problem with their new analysis of Musk’s pay package is that shareholders voted twice on Musk’s original pay package of $56 billion. They voted to give Musk that sum on two separate occasions.

Musk’s original $56 billion pay package was approved by shareholders twice; once in 2018 and once again last year. Last year’s vote was in response to Delaware Chancery Court Kathaleen McCormick’s decision to revoke the “unfathomable sum” from Musk.

Shareholders still showed support for Musk getting paid. Tesla said in its new award to the CEO that this is a way to give him compensation for the first time in seven years.

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CGI said in its note (via TipRanks):

“When a board builds its strategy around a single individual, it creates a concentration risk, not just operationally, but culturally and ethically. If that individual becomes a source of volatility, the company becomes fragile by design.”

What’s strange with this type of narrative is the fact that Tesla’s valuation has skyrocketed with Musk at the helm. Go back to 2020, and the stock is up over 200 percent. Since Musk’s $56 billion pay package was introduced in 2018, shares are up well over 1,000 percent.

Tesla engineer explains why Elon Musk deserves new pay package

Musk’s 2018 pay package was also not awarded to him without performance-based incentives. He was required to reach certain growth goals, all of which were accomplished through the launch of new vehicles and the advancements of its driver-assistance suites, like Autopilot and Full Self-Driving.

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It is tough to agree with CGI’s perception of Musk’s new pay plan, especially as it is much less than what shareholders voted on twice. Musk deserves to be paid for his contributions to Tesla.

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Tesla Robotaxi is headed to New York City, but one thing is in its way

Tesla is working to hire Vehicle Operators in New York City, but the company still needs some regulatory hurdles to go through.

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tesla store in New York City
Credit: Tesla

Tesla Robotaxi will be headed to New York City, but there is one huge thing that stands in its way: approval to test autonomous vehicles.

Tesla is expanding its Robotaxi platform across the United States as it currently operates in Austin, Texas, and the Bay Area of California.

The company has also been seeking approvals in several other states, including Nevada, Arizona, and Florida.

However, the company is also working to expand to major metropolitan areas across the U.S. that it has not explicitly mentioned, as it attempts to reach CEO Elon Musk’s goal of giving half of the country’s population access to the platform by the end of the year:

It appears New York City is next on the list, according to a job posting on Tesla’s Careers website.

The company says it is hiring a Vehicle Operator for Autopilot in Flushing, New York, a section of the borough of Queens. Queens is connected to Brooklyn and Long Island, so it seems more ideal than launching in Manhattan or the Bronx, where traffic is heavy and charging is not as readily available.

Tesla’s job posting states:

“We are looking for a highly motivated self-starter to join our vehicle data collection team. As a Prototype Vehicle Operator, you will be responsible for driving an engineering vehicle for extended periods, conducting dynamic audio and camera data collection for testing and training purposes. Access to the data collected is limited to the applicable development team. This role requires a high level of flexibility, strong attention to detail, excellent driving skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment.”

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It also lists the hours of operation as Tuesday through Saturday or Sunday through Thursday, with its three shifts listed as:

  • Day Shift: 6:00 AM – 2:30 PM or 8:00 AM – 4:30 PM
  • Afternoon Shift: 2:00 PM – 10:30 PM or 4:00 PM – 12:30 AM
  • Night Shift: 10:00 PM-6:30 AM or 12:00 AM-8:30 AM

We wouldn’t count on New York City being the next place Tesla launches Robotaxi. According to a report from CNBC, a spokesperson for the NYC Department of Transportation confirmed Tesla has not yet applied for permits that are needed to operate its ride-hailing service.

For what it’s worth, it could just be the first step in Tesla’s plans. It also has Vehicle Operator job postings in other regions. Houston, Texas, as well as Tampa, Miami, and Clermont, Florida, are all listed on Tesla’s Career postings.

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