Tesla is the most famous and the most popular EV automaker in the world. However, traditional automakers ranging from Ford to Audi are all making their own EVs to compete with Tesla. Porsche, in particular, has an EV trim of the Taycan called the Taycan Turbo, and it beats the Tesla Model S in one very important category.

The Porsche Taycan Turbo charges much faster than the Tesla Model S

As part of Car and Driver’s review of the Porsche Taycan Turbo, Car and Driver tested its charging rate against the Model S’s charging rate. Car and Driver is the first to admit that this wasn’t a “laboratory-grade scientific test,” as several things were different in each car. Off the bat, Porsche claims that the Taycan Turbo can charge at a rate of 270 kW when using the newest Superchargers from Electrify America.

The Model S, on the other hand, can only handle a maximum charge rate of 200 kW. That said, as Car and Driver mentioned, most Tesla Superchargers can only charge at 150 kW. But, lucky for the Model S, Tesla is installing new Superchargers that can charge at 250 kW.

For this test, Car and Driver charged a Model S that started at 30 percent at one of those new 250 kW Superchargers. The Taycan Turbo started at a 40 percent charge and it was charged at Electrify America’s 350 kW charger. Both EVs were charged to 100 percent, which is a bad idea according to Car and Driver, as those last few percentage points take a long time to get to. 

Regardless, this real-world test reflects what Porsche claims about its Taycan Turbo. Car and Driver says that it took 42 minutes for the Taycan Turbo to get the same amount of energy that the Model S got from 104 minutes of charging. This is significantly faster than what the Model S can get from Tesla’s best Supercharger, and it would be even faster if Car and Driver used a more common Tesla Supercharger instead.

Comparing the Porsche Taycan Turbo with the Tesla Model S

Car and Driver compared other aspects of the Taycan Turbo with the Model S, and the results weren’t as impressive for the Taycan. Off the bat, one of the most important areas for EV owners is range, and the Taycan Turbo doesn’t have much range. Car and Driver says that it gets just 192 miles from a full charge, compared to the 373 miles in the Model S. 

Both cars are sports cars, though, so the range may not be too important. In terms of performance, Car and Driver said that both cars were roughly identical. However, at the end of the road test, Car and Driver gave the edge to the Model S. 

Lastly, there’s pricing. The Taycan Turbo is a Porsche, and as such, it’s extremely expensive. Car and Driver says that the Taycan Turbo will start at $186,000. In comparison, the most expensive trim of the Model S is just $101,000.

The Taycan Turbo is still good competition 

While the Taycan Turbo may not seem that attractive to some Tesla fans, that’s not the point. Porsche is taking a page from Tesla’s secret master plan by creating a high-end, premium EV. The Taycan Turbo is targeted for Porsche fans, and Porsche fans expect the best from their car at any price. 

That’s what the Taycan Turbo does. The Taycan EV beats the Model S in a lot of areas, and that’s exactly what Porsche customers want. Just like how Ford’s Mustang Mach-E is attractive to Ford fans who don’t want a Tesla, the Taycan Turbo will be attractive to Porsche fans who don’t want a Tesla. 

As a result of EVs like the Taycan Turbo, other automakers can compete with Tesla and create high tech cars for the future.