Porsche recently launched its long-awaited, all-electric and high-performing supercar, the Porsche Taycan, and the world is on pins and needles. Though an electric Porsche is hard to imagine, experts say it delivers. And its biggest competition from electric innovator Tesla should expect rivalry. But on the road, which one will truly dominate: Tesla or the Porsche Taycan?

What the numbers say about the world’s greatest electric supercars

According to Yahoo News, the official specs say that the new Porsche Taycan can hit 0-60 miles per hour in just 2.6 seconds and has a top speed of 161 miles per hour. But Tesla states that its Model S Performance variant can do the same in only 2.4 seconds, with a top speed of 163 miles per hour. That makes the Tesla supercar faster. Right?

Even though the numbers may give you another impression, the proof of the Taycan’s excellence can be seen on the track. According to Inside EVs, a recent test by the people at Top Gear puts the Porsche Taycan ahead of its Tesla rival. In a 0-60 drag race, the Model S accomplished a speed of 2.86 seconds, but the Porsche Taycan raced passed that with a speed of 2.61 seconds. Not only winning off the line, but the Porsche Taycan also hit the quarter-mile in 10.69 seconds, while the Model S got there in 11.08. But with numbers so close, what makes the Porsche Taycan the faster supercar?

Why the Porsche Taycan comes out faster than the Tesla Model S

Numbers and figures can only go so far when you begin to take design and mechanics into consideration. And according to the experts at Engineering Explained, the Porsche Taycan has a true advantage over the Model S. This advantage simply comes down to the Taycan’s gearing, according to expert Jason Fenske.

As Fenske explains, the Porsche Taycan uses a completely different transmission than most electric cars do. The Taycan uses a two-speed unit in the rear and a one-speed in the front, where others (like the Model S) use a one-speed transmission. This creates a completely different set of equations that allows the Porsche Taycan to be the fastest all-electric car on the road.

According to Road and Track, the first gear stays in place until the Taycan hits 62 miles per hour, “meaning it can multiply the torque factor coming from the electric motor and going to the ground before shifting into the more economical second gear.” So despite the figures, the Porsche Taycan generates more wheel torque in that first gear.

Once it hits that mark at 62 miles per hour, “the torque figures for either gear level out, so the car shifts to second, allowing the rear electric motor to spin at a lower speed.” The Tesla car only has one fixed ratio to work with at low and high speeds. It’s the Taycan’s wheel torque and grip that make it faster than the Tesla Model S.

The Porsche Taycan electric supercar

Though there’s only one Taycan model currently available, there will be a variety of future models, according to the Porsche Exchange. The four-door supercar may even be available as a wagon-style crossover. Current variants include the 4S, Turbo, and Turbo S, making up to either 563 or 750 hp. It features an 800-volt battery paired with four-volt cells and comes with a range of around 310 miles.

According to Car and Driver, the Porsche Taycan has a starting price of over $105,000. The interior is surprisingly spacious, with a standard four-seat configuration and an available five-seat configuration with a center rear seat. The Taycan also comes with a three-screen cockpit with a curved-glass instrument panel and two infotainment touchscreens. You can even add an optional passenger display.