There’s no denying that the Porsche Taycan Turbo is an incredible electric car on the track. Refined on the cruel turns of the Nurburgring, the Taycan embodies Porsche’s racing pedigree in an all electric package. This is why it was quite surprising to see such a vehicle bow down to a far more affordable and understated adversary: the Tesla Model 3 Performance.
China’s premier motoring site, Dongchedi, recently conducted a 24-hour test of the Porsche Taycan Turbo, benchmarking the vehicle against the Tesla Model S Performance and Model 3 Performance with Track Package. The news agency performed three main tests for the Taycan, which included a drag race and endurance test against the Model S and a time attack track run against the Model 3 Performance.
The Taycan Turbo is one of the most expensive electric cars in China. Commanding a price of RMB 1,498,000 (around USD 214,238) in the local market, the Taycan Turbo is over three times more expensive than the Model 3 Performance, which is priced at RMB 419,800 (around USD 60,038). It should be noted that the Model 3 Performance is still quite pricey in China, seeing as it is not yet being locally produced at Gigafactory Shanghai.
As noted by the motoring site, the Porsche Taycan Turbo actually performed really well during its test. Professional drivers who tested the vehicle over the 24 hour period praised the electric sedan for its driving dynamics, which showcases the best that Porsche has to offer. That being said, the Taycan did bow to the Model S Performance in the drag race, as it finished the quarter mile run in 10.99 seconds, just behind the Model S Performance, which completed the race in 10.56 seconds.
The Taycan Turbo also did well on its battery endurance test, running 452 km in one charge and impressively close to its NEDC rating of 462 km. In contrast, Tesla’s flagship sedan was able to run 505 km before it ran out of battery, 145 km less than its NEDC rating of 650 km.
For the Porsche Taycan Turbo’s track test, the Dongchedi team brought the vehicle to its closed circuit for a hot lap time attack test. But this time around, the Taycan Turbo had an additional competitor: the Tesla Model 3 Performance with Track Package. The Taycan Turbo showed its racing pedigree in the test, decimating the Model S Performance’s track time of 1:19:26 with its impressive 1:15:97 run.
However, the German made electric car’s win was short lived, as the much more affordable Model 3 was able to complete its hot lap in 1:15:78. Granted, the gap between the time attack results of the Porsche Taycan Turbo and the Model 3 Performance was very slim. Despite this, it is difficult not to be impressed by Tesla’s most affordable performance branded car.
There are very few cars out there in the Model 3 Performance’s price range that could give the Taycan Turbo some competition, after all, and there are even fewer that can actually humble the proud German made EV in an area that it’s designed to dominate. With such results, it would not be surprising if the Model 3 Performance becomes the vehicle of choice for the country’s mainstream racing enthusiasts, seeing as it offers performance that can compete with a Porsche on the track — at a fraction of the price.
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Tesla reportedly testing Apple CarPlay integration: report
Citing insiders reportedly familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News claimed that CarPlay is being trialed by the EV maker internally.
Tesla is reportedly testing Apple’s CarPlay software for its vehicles, marking a major shift after years of resisting the tech giant’s ecosystem.
Citing insiders reportedly familiar with the matter, Bloomberg News claimed that CarPlay is being trialed by the EV maker internally. The move could help Tesla gain more market share, as surveys have shown many buyers consider CarPlay as an essential feature when choosing a car.
Not the usual CarPlay experience
Bloomberg claimed that Tesla’s tests involve a rather unique way to integrate CarPlay. Instead of replacing the vehicle’s entire infotainment display, Tesla’s integration will reportedly feature a CarPlay window on the infotainment system. This limited approach will ensure that Tesla’s own software, such as Full Self-Driving’s visuals, remains dominant.
The feature is expected to support wireless connectivity as well, bringing Tesla in line with other luxury automakers that already offer CarPlay. While plans remain fluid and may change before public release, the publication’s sources claimed that the rollout could happen within months.
A change of heart
Tesla has been reluctant to grant Apple access to its in-car systems, partly due to Elon Musk’s past criticism of the tech giant’s App Store policies and its poaching of Tesla engineers during the failed Apple Car project. Tesla’s in-house software is also deemed by numerous owners as a superior option to CarPlay, thanks to its sleek design and rich feature set.
With Apple’s retreat from building cars and Elon Musk’s relationship with Apple for X and Grok, however, the CEO’s stance on the tech giant seems to be improving. Overall, Tesla’s potential CarPlay integration would likely be appreciated by owners, as a McKinsey & Co. survey last year found that roughly one-third of buyers considered the lack of such systems a deal-breaker.
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China considering EV acceleration limits to curb high-speed accidents
If approved, the regulation would be a national standard.
Recent reports have emerged stating that China is considering new national standards that would restrict how fast electric vehicles can accelerate upon each startup. The potential regulation is reportedly being considered amidst a rise in EV-related crashes.
The draft for the proposed regulation was released by the Ministry of Public Security on November 10. If approved, the regulation would be a national standard.
New regulation targets default performance limits
Under the proposal, all passenger vehicles would start in a state where acceleration from 0–100 km/h (0-60 mph) would take no less than five seconds. This rule would apply to both pure EVs and plug-in hybrids, and it is aimed at preventing unintended acceleration caused by driver inexperience or surprise torque delivery.
The public has until January 10, 2026, to submit feedback before the rule is finalized, as noted in a CNEV Post report.
Authorities have stated that the change reflects growing safety concerns amidst the arrival of more powerful electric cars. The new regulation would make it mandatory for drivers to deliberately engage performance modes, ensuring they are aware and ready for their vehicles’ increased power output before accelerating.
A rise in accidents
China’s EV sector has seen an explosion of high-powered models, some capable of 0–100 km/h acceleration in under two seconds. These speeds were once reserved for supercars, but some electric cars such as the Xiaomi SU7 Ultra offer such performance at an affordable cost.
However, authorities have observed that this performance has led to an uptick in accidents. I recent years, incidents of crashes involving lack of control in vehicles with rapid acceleration have risen, as per an explanatory note accompanying the draft.
Part of this is due to drivers seemingly being unprepared for the power of their own vehicles. For context, driving schools in China typically use cars that accelerate to 100 km/h in more than 5 seconds. This level of acceleration is also typical in combustion-powered cars.
@teslarati 🚨🚨 Tesla Full Self-Driving and Yap is the best driving experience #tesla #fsd #yapping ♬ I Run – HAVEN.
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Tesla Superchargers crowned best EV charging network in the UK for 2025
The Tesla Supercharger network was voted Best Large EV Charging Network for the second consecutive year.
Tesla has once again claimed the top spot in the UK’s most anticipated EV charging satisfaction survey. As per Zapmap’s 2025 driver satisfaction rankings, the Tesla Supercharger network was voted Best Large EV Charging Network for the second consecutive year.
The annual survey, based on thousands of EV driver responses, measures reliability, ease of use, and payment experience across the UK’s public charging landscape.
Tesla tops the survey’s “Large” category
Zapmap’s 2025 rankings, which were drawn from nearly 4,000 battery electric vehicle (BEV) drivers, reflect how quickly public charging is evolving across the UK. For the survey’s “Large” network class, which includes systems with over 500 devices, Tesla once again stood out for reliability and cost efficiency.
The automaker now offers 1,115 open Supercharger devices at 97 public sites, roughly 54% of its total UK network. That’s a 40% increase in public availability compared to September 2024. A particularly appreciated aspect of the Supercharger network is its cost, which continues to be “significantly lower prices than most rapid/ultra-rapid networks, with drivers also appreciating its reliability,” Zapmap noted.
Tesla Regional Manager’s comments
Ollie Dodd, Senior Regional Manager for Northern Europe Charging at Tesla, shared his appreciation for the Supercharger network’s award.
“We’re thrilled to win Zapmap’s Best EV Charging Network for the second year in a row. Being recognized by the drivers themselves shows that our customer-centric and data-driven approach to building sites is well-received. We look forward to showcasing more customer-centric features in 2026 as we expand the network further and look towards new initiatives in roaming and payment methods,” he said.
Conducted during September and October 2025, Zapmap’s eighth annual survey found that reliability and payment flexibility remain top priorities among EV drivers, two things that the Supercharger network particularly excels in. Fortunately for UK EV owners, the Supercharger network is also aggressively growing.
@teslarati 🚨🚨 Tesla Full Self-Driving and Yap is the best driving experience #tesla #fsd #yapping ♬ I Run – HAVEN.
Tesla reportedly testing Apple CarPlay integration: report
China considering EV acceleration limits to curb high-speed accidents
Tesla Superchargers crowned best EV charging network in the UK for 2025
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