Remember when Porsche said Tesla was not a benchmark for its first all-electric car, the Taycan?
Well, it looks like the German carmaker wasn’t exactly truthful, as it is using at least one Tesla model for some benchmark testing.
A new spy video posted by Electrek reveals two Taycan prototypes testing alongside an older Tesla Model S.
Belgian Model S owner Frank Cooreman filmed the Porsche prototypes in the company of a Model S near the top of the Stelvio Pass in Italy. As he stopped to have a closer look at the Taycan test vehicles, he saw a Porsche engineer driving the red Tesla as well.
So yes, it looks like Porsche is benchmarking the Taycan against the Model S, at least in some departments. Most likely, the engineers performed energy consumption tests, as well as elevation and regenerative braking tests on the way down.
Interestingly, it was an older version of the Model S, the P85D that went out of production two years ago. It used to be Tesla’s range-topping vehicle, but the P90D and P100D have superseded it since.
The newer Teslas are known for their fantastic acceleration, something the Taycan will also offer. Porsche estimates its EV will cover the 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) time in less than 3.5 seconds. However, that’s not where the Germans want to compete with Tesla.
Porsche wants the Taycan to deliver strong track performance and to be able to go fast for long periods of time — for example, on the Autobahn or the race track. It needs to be if it is to become the fastest series production electric car on the Nürburgring Nordschleife and the most driver-focused car in its segment. After all, electric or not, it’s still a Porsche.