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Porsche Taycan Turbo specs: 96 kWh battery, 600+ hp, air suspension, and repeatable peak performance
The Porsche Taycan is arguably one of the most highly-anticipated electric cars this year, and for good reason. The Taycan is Porsche’s first modern all-electric car, bred with racing DNA and technology honed in the track from hybrids like the 918 Spyder and the 919 Hybrid Evo. It is then incredibly pertinent for Porsche to ensure that the Taycan, particularly its top-tier “Turbo” variant, will not disappoint in any way.
A recent review of a Taycan Turbo pre-production prototype suggests that the top-tier variant of Porsche’s electric car could live up to its name, and then some. During a ride-along, Car Magazine European editor Georg Kacher was able to get up close with the upcoming vehicle as it tore through the streets with Porsche’s chief engineer Stefan Weckbach.
Equipped with a 96 kWh lithium-ion battery that weighs 650 kg (1,433 lbs), a 215 bhp/221 lb-ft powerplant on the front axle, and a 402 bhp/406 lb-ft motor at the rear, the Taycan boasts 649 lb-ft of peak torque. That’s enough to propel the car from a dead stop to 60 mph in just over 3 seconds and into 124 mph in less than 10 seconds. It’s not just acceleration, too, as the vehicle is capable of cruising at 162 mph for miles without its battery overheating. Couple that with standard air suspension and a regenerative braking system that is controlled through the steering wheel, and the Taycan becomes an EV that is made from the ground up like every other Porsche: a car that is simply fun to drive.
Porsche notes that the Taycan can perform ten full-throttle 0-62 mph and four 0-124 mph launches without seeing a decrease in performance. The vehicle does enter a “limp mode,” but only when the distance to empty reads zero. With a 96 kWh battery and a claimed 320 miles of range per charge, Taycan drivers would likely enjoy a lot of spirited driving before they need to recharge their vehicles. Porsche admits that the Taycan is not as quick off the line as a Tesla Model S Performance with Ludicrous Mode, but the company noted that the repeatability of peak performance would be the difference-maker.
It is then interesting to note that the Taycan, which is designed from the ground up to be a high-performance electric car, will likely be competing mostly with the Model 3 Performance, Tesla’s track-capable electric sedan. In a way, this would be fitting as the Taycan’s 2910 mm wheelbase is closer to the Model 3’s 2,875 mm than the Model S’ 2,959 mm wheelbase. This is the same for the interior of the vehicles as well, as shown in a review of a Taycan prototype which revealed that the Porsche’s back seats are notably less spacious than a Model S.
From its wide tires to its low profile and its sports car seating, the Porsche Taycan seems intent to capture the crown of the auto industry’s best track-capable EV. This would put it in direct competition with the Tesla Model 3 Performance, a vehicle that has been developing a reputation for competing and winning against the world’s best track-capable sedans like the BMW M3. As shown in Top Gear‘s test, the Model 3 Performance could do quick work of the BMW M3; but with the Taycan as a rival, Tesla’s track competitor would likely be facing a completely different animal.
What is rather interesting is that the Model 3 Performance and the Taycan share some similarities. When the Taycan gets released later this year, for example, the vehicle will be capable of charging up to 250 kW at an 800-volt charging point. The car is compatible with 350 kW charging, but that would come by 2021 at the latest. The Model 3 Performance also charges at rates of up to 250 kW using Tesla’s Supercharger V3 network.
If there is one thing that the Taycan and the Model 3 Performance share no middle ground in, it would be their price. The Taycan is a Porsche, and it is priced like one. The base Taycan will be RWD only, and it will come with an 80 kWh battery pack and a choice of 322 bhp or 376 bhp motors, as well as a low ~$90,000 starting price. The mid-range Taycan Carerra 4S, estimated to be priced in the high ~$90,000 range, will be fitted with a 96 kWh battery pack and offer 429 bhp or 483 bhp.
The Taycan Turbo, which is also equipped with a 96 kWh battery, is expected to cost around £120,000 ($149,000. That’s almost 50% more expensive than a Tesla Model S Performance with Ludicrous Mode, which currently costs just below $100,000. An even more potent Taycan Turbo S with 724 bhp and an RWD Taycan GTS are also in the works. In comparison, the Model 3 Performance is currently priced at less than $55,000 with basic Autopilot as standard.
Elon Musk
Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft is heading to jury trial
The ruling keeps alive claims that OpenAI misled the Tesla CEO about its charitable purpose while accepting billions of dollars in funding.
OpenAI Inc. and Microsoft will face a jury trial this spring after a federal judge rejected their efforts to dismiss Elon Musk’s lawsuit, which accuses the artificial intelligence startup of abandoning its original nonprofit mission. The ruling keeps alive claims that OpenAI misled the Tesla CEO about its charitable purpose while accepting billions of dollars in funding.
As noted in a report from Bloomberg News, a federal judge in Oakland, California, ruled that OpenAI Inc. and Microsoft failed to show that Musk’s claims should be dismissed. U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers stated that while the evidence remains unclear, Musk has maintained that OpenAI “had a specific charitable purpose and that he attached two fundamental terms to it: that OpenAI be open source and that it would remain a nonprofit — purposes consistent with OpenAI’s charter and mission.”
Judge Gonzalez Rogers also rejected an argument by OpenAI suggesting that Musk’s use of an intermediary to donate $38 million in seed money to the company stripped him of legal standing. “Holding otherwise would significantly reduce the enforcement of a large swath of charitable trusts, contrary to the modern trend,” Judge Gonzalez Rogers wrote.
The judge also declined to dismiss Musk’s fraud allegations, citing internal OpenAI communications from 2017 involving co-founder Greg Brockman. In an email cited by the judge, fellow OpenAI board member Shivon Zilis informed Musk that Brockman would “like to continue with the non-profit structure.”
Just two months later, however, Brockman wrote in a private note that he “cannot say that we are committed to the non-profit. don’t want to say that we’re committed. if three months later we’re doing b-corp then it was a lie.”
Marc Toberoff, a member of Musk’s legal team, said Judge Gonzalez Rogers’s ruling confirms that “there is substantial evidence that OpenAI’s leadership made knowingly false assurances to Mr. Musk about its charitable mission that they never honored in favor of their personal self-enrichment.”
OpenAI, for its part, maintained that Musk’s legal efforts are baseless. In a statement, the AI startup said it is looking forward to the upcoming trial. “Mr. Musk’s lawsuit continues to be baseless and a part of his ongoing pattern of harassment, and we look forward to demonstrating this at trial. We remain focused on empowering the OpenAI Foundation, which is already one of the best-resourced nonprofits ever,” OpenAI stated.
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Tesla arsonist who burned Cybertruck sees end of FAFO journey
The man has now reached the “Find Out” stage.
A Mesa, Arizona man has been sentenced to five years in federal prison for setting fire to a Tesla location and vehicle in a politically motivated arson attack, federal prosecutors have stated.
The April 2025 incident destroyed a Tesla Cybertruck, endangered first responders, and triggered mandatory sentencing under federal arson laws.
A five-year sentence
U.S. District Judge Diane J. Humetewa sentenced Ian William Moses, 35, of Mesa, Arizona, to 5 years in prison followed by 3 years of supervised release for maliciously damaging property and vehicles by means of fire. Moses pleaded guilty in October to all five counts brought by a federal grand jury. Restitution will be determined at a hearing scheduled for April 13, 2026.
As per court records, surveillance footage showed Moses arriving at a Tesla store in Mesa shortly before 2 a.m. on April 28, 2025, carrying a gasoline can and backpack. Investigators stated that he placed fire starter logs near the building, poured gasoline on the structure and three vehicles, and ignited the fire. The blaze destroyed a Tesla Cybertruck. Moses fled the scene on a bicycle and was arrested by Mesa police about a quarter mile away, roughly an hour later.
Authorities said Moses was still wearing the same clothing seen on camera at the time of his arrest and was carrying a hand-drawn map marking the dealership’s location. Moses also painted the word “Theif” on the walls of the Tesla location, prompting jokes from social media users and Tesla community members.
The “Finding Out” stage
U.S. Attorney Timothy Courchaine noted that Moses’ sentence reflects the gravity of his crime. He also highlighted that arson is never acceptable.
“Arson can never be an acceptable part of American politics. Mr. Moses’ actions endangered the public and first responders and could have easily turned deadly. This five-year sentence reflects the gravity of these crimes and makes clear that politically fueled attacks on Arizona’s communities and businesses will be met with full accountability.”
Maricopa County Attorney Rachel Mitchell echoed the same sentiments, stating that regardless of Moses’ sentiments towards Elon Musk, his actions are not defensible.
“This sentence sends a clear message: violence and intimidation have no place in our community. Setting fire to a business in retaliation for political or personal grievances is not protest, it is a crime. Our community deserves to feel safe, and this sentence underscores that Maricopa County will not tolerate political violence in any form.”
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Tesla says its Texas lithium refinery is now operational and unlike anything in North America
Elon Musk separately described the site as both the most advanced and the largest lithium refinery in the United States.
Tesla has confirmed that its Texas lithium refinery is now operational, marking a major milestone for the company’s U.S. battery supply chain. In a newly released video, Tesla staff detailed how the facility converts raw spodumene ore directly into battery-grade lithium hydroxide, making it the first refinery of its kind in North America.
Elon Musk separately described the site as both the most advanced and the largest lithium refinery in the United States.
A first-of-its-kind lithium refining process
In the video, Tesla staff at the Texas lithium refinery near Corpus Christi explained that the facility processes spodumene, a lithium-rich hard-rock ore, directly into battery-grade lithium hydroxide on site. The approach bypasses intermediate refining steps commonly used elsewhere in the industry.
According to the staff, spodumene is processed through kilns and cooling systems before undergoing alkaline leaching, purification, and crystallization. The resulting lithium hydroxide is suitable for use in batteries for energy storage and electric vehicles. Tesla employees noted that the process is simpler and less expensive than traditional refining methods.
Staff at the facility added that the process eliminates hazardous byproducts typically associated with lithium refining. “Our process is more sustainable than traditional methods and eliminates hazardous byproducts, and instead produces a co-product named anhydrite, used in concrete mixes,” an employee noted.
Musk calls the facility the largest lithium refinery in America
The refinery’s development timeline has been very impressive. The project moved from breaking ground in 2023 to integrated plant startup in 2025 by running feasibility studies, design, and construction in parallel. This compressed schedule enabled the fastest time-to-market for a refinery using this type of technology. This 2026, the facility has become operational.
Elon Musk echoed the significance of the project in posts on X, stating that “the largest Lithium refinery in America is now operational.” In a separate comment, Musk described the site as “the most advanced lithium refinery in the world” and emphasized that the facility is “very clean.”
By bringing large-scale lithium hydroxide production online in Texas, Tesla is positioning itself to reduce reliance on foreign refining capacity while supporting its growth in battery and vehicle production. The refinery also complements Tesla’s nascent domestic battery manufacturing efforts, which could very well be a difference maker in the market.
Elon Musk’s lawsuit against OpenAI and Microsoft is heading to jury trial
Tesla arsonist who burned Cybertruck sees end of FAFO journey
