For those looking for a high-end car that doesn’t rely on gas, there are plenty of intoxicating electric vehicles available for the luxury and high-performance customer. Some have both—a cosseting interior and ride, plus stunning acceleration and top speed.
2020 PORSCHE TAYCAN
Starting at the top, the Taycan (formerly known as the Mission E) is, like the Rapide E, the company’s first fully electric car. And though Porsche executives deny it, Tesla is squarely in the company’s sights. In this case, the threat is credible.
The four-door sedan, quite curvy in the manner of Tesla’s Model S, is offered in three models, beginning with the entry-level Taycan 4S (starting at $103,800), and proceeding to the Turbo ($150,900) and the Turbo S ($184,000).
It can reach 60 miles per hour in just 2.6 seconds, and tops off at 162 miles per hour. Range could be better—it’s 192 miles, compared with 326 miles for a Tesla Model S Performance edition with 21-inch wheels.
This would matter less if Porsche had anything comparable to Tesla’s global fast-charging network, but it doesn’t. Still, commuters with even a 60-mile trip one way could use their Taycan comfortably without recourse to public charging.