Last month, a climate activist group smashed up 40 luxury vehicles and called for a boycott of this month’s Frankfurt Auto Show because it celebrates an “outmoded climate and environment destroying transportation system.”
Porsche, part of Volkswagen, said on Wednesday it would invest €6 billion (RM28bil) through 2022 to develop electric vehicles, as it presented its first zero-emissions sports car.
“With the Taycan, Porsche offers an entirely leather-free interior for the first time. Interiors made from innovative recycled materials underscore the sustainable concept of the electric sports car,” Porsche said.
The Taycan has a range of 450km, making it the first electric vehicle from a German carmaker capable of rivalling Tesla in terms of operating range.
Thanks to an 800 volt system, the car is also capable of adding 100km to its range from a five minute recharging of its battery, Porsche said.
Two variants are available of the model: the Turbo and the Turbo S. The more powerful option, the latter, can generate 750hp, which propels the car from a standstill to 100kph in 2.8 seconds and upwards to a top speed of 260kph. The model without the sport designation can make the same sprint in 3.2 seconds.
Naturally, the Taycan comes equipped with the company's latest infotainment and safety tech including a Porsche-brand personal voice assistant which can help drivers control their music, the temperature, and navigation tools all by voice.
The Porsche Taycan Turbo S is priced at €185,456 (RM859,000). First customer deliveries are expected from January 2020, the carmaker said.
Other sports car makers are also rushing to develop electric models. Ferrari said last month it hoped to introduce a fully-electric model some time after 2022.
