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Tesla Model S rival Porsche Mission E spotted testing on the Nurburgring

[Credit: EMS Nordschleife TV/YouTube]

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8 years ago

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Porsche recently took its Mission E prototype to the Nurburgring in Germany, where it was spotted speeding through one of the tracks’ iconic turns. As could be seen in a brief clip featuring the upcoming all-electric high-performance sedan, the Mission E was able to go through the exit of Brunnchen in classic, aggressive Porsche fashion.

Considered as the German legacy automaker’s direct competitor to the Tesla Model S, the Mission E is expected to pack a lot of high-tech gear and formidable performance. Just recently, Porsche VP of Product Line BEV, Stefan Weckbach, even threw some shade at Tesla, stating that the American electric car and energy company does not build a car that can tackle the performance requirements of continued track driving.

Weckbach also noted that the Porsche Mission E, with its twin electric motors delivering instant torque, would be designed to be driven hard over long periods of time. According to the Porsche executive, the Mission E would be able to maintain its top speed and aggressive acceleration even under the demanding conditions of track driving.

Teslarati’s “48” Model S race car at Laguna Seca

The Model S, after all, is capable of Ludicrous straight-line acceleration, but when taken to a racetrack, Tesla’s software ends limits the vehicle’s performance after a few minutes to prevent excessive heating of the car’s battery. Track performance is something that the German automaker has proven mastery of over the years, with some of his vehicles like the Porsche 911 GT2 RS and the 918 Spyder holding some of the best lap times on the Nurburgring.

Tesla might be on its way to improving the track capabilities of its vehicles, however. As we noted in a previous report, a Model 3 was recently able to complete several laps in the Laguna Seca raceway without seeing a drop in performance. The next-gen Roadster, Tesla’s fastest car to date with a 0-60 mph time of 1.9 seconds, is also speculated to be capable of maintaining its high speed over long periods of time.

The Mission E was first unveiled at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show as a concept car. Since then, however, Porsche has begun producing pre-production prototypes of the electric car, which still boast some classic Porsche design minus some of the concept version’s more daring design elements. The most prominent of these are the rear suicide doors on the concept Mission E, which have been replaced by traditional rear doors on the pre-production variant. Some characteristics of the Mission E concept remained present in the pre-production version of the all-electric car, however, such as the sleek lines on its front that curve into its headlights.

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While the Mission E will definitely be a Tesla Model S competitor when it gets released, Porsche’s idea of a charging infrastructure is far different than the Elon Musk-led company’s Supercharger network. In a recent statement, Porsche’s deputy chairman of the executive board Lutz Meschke noted that Mission E owners would be billed for charging services from day one of ownership. Meschke further noted that the rates for the Mission E’s charging would be comparable to the average prices of gasoline.

Watch the Porsche Mission E tackle a section of the Nurburgring in the video below.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=18&v=3PkUeDJKBLA

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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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Tesla begins validating Robotaxi in a new area, hinting at expansion

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18 minutes ago

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October 14, 2025

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Credit: Tesla

Tesla is validating Robotaxi in a new area, and as the company has continued to gain some additional permissions to begin testing in new states, it seems its Full Self-Driving-based ride-hailing project is moving toward a larger footprint.

Two Robotaxi units with LiDAR validation equipment were spotted in Gilbert, Arizona, recently, showing that Tesla is aiming to launch its ride-hailing service in the state soon:

Another unit was spotted in Tempe, Arizona:

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These types of validation vehicles have been spotted in several areas ahead of their launch as a public ride-hailing service for passengers. Tesla first launched Robotaxi in Austin, Texas, back in late June, and since then, it has expanded to the Bay Area of California.

However, Tesla has continued to attempt to expand Robotaxi to other areas as well, including Nevada and Arizona. It has also been working toward approvals in other states based on job postings, as Tesla is hiring for Autopilot Vehicle Operators in New York and Florida, as well.

The expansion of the Robotaxi ride-hailing service has been an effort that Tesla has been spending a lot of time on over the past few months. CEO Elon Musk said the expansion aims to bring Robotaxi to at least half of the U.S. population by the end of the year, but there is still plenty of work to be done.

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Tesla Robotaxi heads to a new major Texas city for the first time

Tesla did make its Robotaxi app public in recent months, allowing more members of the public to experience the suite for themselves, as long as they could get to Austin or the Bay Area.

In the coming months, it seems more apparent that Tesla will take a broader focus on expanding Robotaxi, especially with the fact that these validation vehicles are being spotted throughout different parts of the United States.

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Tesla mulls revamping $25k car, strange report claims

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2 hours ago

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October 14, 2025

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Credit: Tine Rusc

Tesla is reportedly mulling the potential revamp of its $25,000 vehicle project, a strange report claims.

It seems unlikely, especially since Tesla launched two new, more affordable models last week with the Model 3 and Model Y Standard trims.

However, a report from European media outlet 36kr claims Tesla has started to advance two vehicle projects, internally codenamed E41 and D50, in China.

People familiar with the matter reportedly told the outlet that “some design and verification reports of the new projects are inherited from the current Model Y and Model 3.”

Tesla axed one of the Model Y’s best features in ‘Standard’ trims: here’s why

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These new simplified models would be priced between $5,000 and $5,500 cheaper than what the new ‘Standard’ trims cost. The report also claims that these vehicles would be launched only if the new ‘Standard’ models “fall short of sales expectations.”

This report suggests that potentially more affordable models are being offered, but this seems unlikely, considering Tesla launched the two Standard models just last week, and the only truly affordable model it is working on will be the Cybercab.

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However, there is potential for a car to launch that undercuts the newest configurations of the Model 3 and Model Y. As of now, it just seems as if it is something that is far-fetched.

When Tesla’s patent for the unboxed process was published just last month, it seemed more than obvious that the vehicle it would be used for was the Cybercab.

The language used in the patent itself was geared toward more streamlined and quality production and manufacturing, which Tesla must implement to meet the likely demand for the vehicle.

It will be easier to scale vehicles with the unboxed process, and the Cybercab has been routinely mentioned with the sub-$30,000 price tag, even by CEO Elon Musk.

He said during the Q3 2024 Earnings Call:

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“I think having a regular 25K model is pointless. It would be silly. Like it would be completely at odds with what we believe…It’s fully considered cost per mile is what matters. And if you try to make a car that is essentially a hybrid, manual, or automatic car, it’s not going to be as good as a dedicated autonomous car. So, yes, Cybercab is just not going to have steering wheels and pedals.”

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SpaceX aces Starship’s 11th launch with success in every mission objective

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3 hours ago

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October 14, 2025

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Credit: SpaceX

SpaceX aces its eleventh Starship test launch on Monday evening, marking the company’s second consecutive takeoff that crossed off each of the planned mission objectives.

It was also the final launch of the V2 Starship rocket. The twelfth test flight will feature the larger V3 Starship rocket, followed by V4, which will eventually make the first trip to Mars.

The launch was overwhelmingly successful. In its 12th test flight, SpaceX was able to achieve every major mission objective, including the second successful deployment of Starlink satellite simulators and the relight of a Raptor engine while in space. The latter achievement demonstrated “a critical capability for future deorbit burns,” the company said.

The ship officially launched at 6:23 p.m. local time in Starbase, Texas, with all 33 engines igniting and sending the Ship to space.

Stage separation occurred just over eight minutes later, and Super Heavy started its descent back to the Gulf of America, where it successfully splashed down. The first part of the launch was complete.

Starlink simulators were deployed about twenty-one minutes after launch, as the Pez dispenser sent the faux-satellites out to space without any issue:

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Perhaps the most anticipated part of the launch was with Starship’s banking maneuver and subsequent splashdown in the Indian Ocean.

Prior to Starship 11’s launch and successful re-entry and splashdown, SpaceX had lost a few vehicles during this portion of the previous flights.

However, the company had made tremendous improvements and has now aced two consecutive launches. On Monday, its approach and splashdown were both overwhelmingly successful:

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The re-entry phase of this particular Starship launch aimed to gather data on the performance of the heatshield, SpaceX said. The heatshield was intentionally stressed to its limits to determine how much it could withstand without failing.

SpaceX will now turn its focus to the next vehicles, including V3, which is larger, more capable, and will help the company gather even more information about its launches into space:

CEO Elon Musk has said the third-generation Starship rocket will be built and tested by the end of the year.

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