Porsche Taycan getting 600 hp, 310-mile range

Porsche has already built several hundred prototypes.

Porsche is putting the final touches on its new Taycan, a battery-electric sedan aimed squarely at the Tesla Model S. Born as the Mission E, the Taycan is months away from making its official debut. The German company has confirmed the model's basic specifications.

The Taycan's two electric motors will draw electricity from a lithium-ion battery pack mounted under the passenger compartment to deliver 600 horsepower in its most basic configuration. To put that figure into perspective, that's on par with the current-generation BMW M5 and 80 horses less than the range-topping Panamera Turbo S E-Hybrid.

Porsche quotes a zero to 60 time of 3.5 seconds. The Taycan will offer up to 310 miles of range in a mixed European cycle; time will tell what that figure will translate to in real-world conditions. 800-volt charging offered for the first time on a production model will top up the battery in record time.

The aforementioned specs apply to the basic Taycan that will be available at launch. Porsche has a history of building off-shoots of its cars -- there are nine variants of the 911, ranging from the Carrera to the GT2 RS -- so it's not too far-fetched to speculate the Taycan will receive a similar treatment. We can imagine a rear-wheel drive model with a single motor or an even more powerful variant. Officials aren't ready to talk about what the future holds, though.

Hundreds of Taycan prototypes are currently criss-crossing the globe. Every part of the car is new, including the powertrain and the platform, so it's important for the brand to gather as much data as possible before releasing the car. We expect to see the Taycan make its official debut either later this year or early next year and go on sale as a 2020 model. Pricing will start in the vicinity of $80,000.