Porsche Taycan v Tesla Model S 2021 Comparison
Which of these prestige EVs has the power to thrill? The illustrious latecomer or the disruptive game-changer?The comparo you’ve been waiting for
The Tesla Model S has forever changed public perceptions of electric vehicles, but it’s now facing its biggest challenge – from the Porsche Taycan.
Before the Tesla arrived in Australia – back in 2015 – people who actually knew of electric vehicles were in a very small minority of consumers. The big, luxurious Model S was like a bolt out of the blue. It was highly dynamic, looked like a Euro prestige car and was relatively affordable.
High-performance variants were scooting to 100km/h from a standing start in around three seconds. That had previously been the stuff of conventional cars costing considerably more.
And to be in one of these cars dashing to the open-road speed limit so rapidly was to know how it felt to be shot out of a cannon.
Tesla has made a lot of hay in the Aussie market in the meantime. It’s now the ‘establishment’ brand for EVs, and Porsche, which has been selling cars since 1948, is the challenger brand.
The Taycan is slightly smaller than the Model S, but more expensive at entry level. It brings a different narrative to the EV message, offering buyers dynamic driving competence that’s well ahead of its closest rival.
This is the comparison that EV enthusiasts have been waiting to see.
Does the 2021 Porsche Taycan wipe the floor with the Tesla Model S, or does the old dog still have a few tricks up its sleeve?
Tesla undercuts Porsche
Laying hands on a representative Tesla Model S for this comparison wasn’t easy. The importer had no examples of the current model available for this comparison.
So we asked around and found a privately-owned Tesla Model S P100D that is not brand-new, but is essentially the same flagship model that you could buy today, if any were in stock.
The last year the Model S P100D was on sale was 2019, when it was priced at $228,375 plus on-road costs, according to RedBook.
This particular vehicle came equipped with enhanced Autopilot (which cost $9230 at the time) and 21-inch black ‘Arachnid’ alloy wheels ($8060). Buying the Model S P100D as tested back in 2019 would have set you back $245,665 plus ORCs.
In today’s money, the equivalent 2022 Tesla Model S is hugely more affordable, the dual-motor Long Range model priced at $129,990 plus on-road costs (albeit with first deliveries not taking place until next year).
Even the rampaging new flagship tri-motor Model S Plaid+ is listed at $199,990 plus ORCs, although the drive-away price in Victoria still promises to be around $250,000.
Nevertheless, one can’t help thinking that the sudden arrival of serious competition from Europe and elsewhere has forced Tesla’s hand.
The 2021 Taycan Turbo costs more than the Model S tested before you even begin to consider the extensive basket of options fitted.
Starting from the manufacturer’s retail list price of $268,500 plus ORCs, the price of the test Taycan climbed rapidly after factoring in the 21-inch ‘Exclusive Design’ alloy wheels ($7110) with high-gloss black finish ($2500), two-tone leather upholstery ($5630), Sport Chrono package ($2340), passenger display ($2150) and active parking support ($2000).
There was a host of other extra-charge features too, including matrix LED headlights with Porsche Dynamic Light System ($990), ‘4+1’ seats ($1000), Porsche Electric Sport Sound ($1000) and Traffic Jam Assist ($1200).
All up, the Porsche cost $298,850 plus ORCs. We’ve made the case in the past that the artificial sound is worth the $1000…
The warranty win goes to the Tesla with four-year/80,000km coverage and four years of roadside assistance, versus three years/unlimited kilometres for the Taycan.
Porsche snatches back the ownership accolades, however, with service intervals strung out to 30,000km or 24 months. The Model S needs to be serviced every 20,000km or 12 months.
Five-star cars stack up nicely
Crash testing authority ANCAP has rated the Tesla Model S at five stars, based on data supplied by its European affiliate Euro NCAP, in accordance with that body’s 2015 testing regime.
In contrast, the Porsche Taycan has not been assessed by ANCAP, but Euro NCAP did test the electric Porsche in 2019 and deemed it to be five-star safe.
Standard crash safety features for the Porsche comprise an active bonnet, 10 airbags (including knee airbags for driver and front passenger, plus side-impact airbags for rear seat occupants) and roll-over detection to trigger the side curtain airbags.
Driver assist technology consists of lane change assist, lane keep assist, adaptive cruise control, autonomous emergency braking (AEB), 360-degree monitoring and front/rear park assist.
The Tesla is similarly well equipped, although the airbag tally is limited to six – front, side-impact (thorax protection) for front seat occupants and side curtain (head protection).
On-board driver assist technology runs to AEB, lane departure warning and traffic sign recognition. The test vehicle also came with the ‘enhanced Autopilot’ option.
No waiting for performance
Lighter by 64kg and with 100kW more power, the Tesla Model S holds a handful of aces. That translates to a power-to-weight ratio of 200.8kW per tonne for the Model S, and 199.6kW per tonne for the Porsche – in Turbo specification, not Turbo S trim.
The Model S also produces almost 140Nm more torque than the Porsche Taycan Turbo.
Set up the Model S in Ludicrous+ mode and there’s nearly another 400Nm on top of the already generous 989Nm torque figure for the Model S.
On test, the Model S appeared to have what it takes to embarrass the Taycan Turbo in a straight line, whether waiting for Ludicrous+ mode and the accompanying ‘Max Battery Power’ to achieve optimum temperature or not. There’s also Ludicrous+ with warp mode that is supposed to add more pace.
To make the most of this this mode, the Tesla’s battery pack must be at the optimal temperature. It takes time – up to 40 minutes – to reach that point in terms of thermal management. We resisted the temptation of allowing Ludicrous+ to warm up each time for reasons of ‘repeatability’ and time available.
We ran both cars on coarse-chip bitumen that was a test of each vehicle’s traction and power delivery. The two cars were closely matched, each driven by a motor at the front and another at the rear.
While the Porsche had the wider rear rubber – Pirelli P-Zero 305/30ZR21 tyres – it was the car that promised to break traction at launch, despite also pumping torque through the front wheels, shod with 265/35ZR21 Pirellis.
The Tesla rolls away ‘gently’ from the release of the brake pedal, whereas the Porsche launches with more aggression – and there’s the ‘gear change’ at the mid-point of the run (the Taycan has a two-speed rear axle) – so the Taycan dispatches the acceleration run with some added theatricality.
Like the Porsche, the Model S was fitted with wider tyres at the rear – Michelin Pilot Super Sport 265/35ZR21. The Model S was riding on 245/35ZR21 Michelins at the front.
As undramatic as it was, the Tesla still saw off the Porsche – by one tenth of a second. The best 0-100km/h time recorded was 3.3 seconds for the Tesla, and the Porsche managed a time of 3.4sec.
Possibly held back by the less than ideal surface used for the test, the Taycan Turbo was nevertheless just two tenths of a second slower than the time the manufacturer claims for it (3.2sec).
The Tesla finished in front, but the Taycan remains a solid choice. A Model S isn’t going to get too far ahead of the Taycan Turbo in the real world. Not even in a straight line.
Counting on comfort
Although the Tesla Model S P100D and the Porsche Taycan Turbo are very close in exterior dimensions, the Porsche feels markedly smaller on the road.
The wider tyres of the Porsche contribute to the Taycan’s broader dynamic ability, but what is simply outstanding about the Taycan Turbo is its balance of ride and handling.
In any other company the Tesla would be a formidable adversary, but the Taycan raises the bar to a level the Model S cannot hope to match.
The Model S doesn’t ride like a Cadillac; its suspension settings border on firm, but well damped. There’s some feedback from the steering and the Tesla turns in directly.
In contrast, the Taycan rides better across the board, but it also out-corners the Model S with its higher exit speed and more composure. And dare we mention the steering?
Inside, the Porsche features ‘analogue’ design cues that shout out to the 911, but everything’s digital. The Tesla, with its large portrait-style infotainment screen, represented a marked departure from the norm back in 2015, but a few companies have copied the format since.
Neither set-up was difficult to use and read. Tesla has gone to Mercedes-Benz for the stalk to actuate the indicators and wipers, and the drive mode selector on the right of the steering column.
Both felt a little loose and wonky in the Model S, and contributed to a feeling that the Tesla won’t last quite as well as the Porsche. That feeling was amplified by the rattling vibration in the Tesla’s dash.
The sloping A-pillar and relatively low roof places the cant rail of the Model S very close to the driver’s head, to accommodate the large, panoramic sunroof. Even with the seat on its lowest setting, a driver of average height will clout his or her head on the lower headlining over bumps or around left-hand bends.
It’s not all ‘sitting pretty’ in the Taycan either. A lower hip point and a tighter entry makes the Taycan a little harder to enter and exit than the Model S – especially if you’re no longer a spring chicken.
The Porsche’s boot is barely worthy of the name; it’s shallow and relatively short, whereas the Tesla’s is long and deep. There’s more luggage space in the front of the Porsche, but the Taycan’s total goods-carrying capacity isn’t in the same league as the Tesla, which also has a ‘frunk’.
Combine all that with the true three-abreast seating in the rear of the Model S, and the Tesla moves ahead of the Taycan. While the Porsche has a triple-split folding rear seat (versus a 60/40 split for the Model S), the Tesla will actually seat three teenagers across the back seat. The Taycan won’t.
There’s a fifth seat belt in the Porsche, but the centre seat position with the optionally fitted ‘4+1’ seating is narrow and not properly shaped for anyone with the hips of an adult. And the transmission tunnel compels piggy in the middle to sit with knees raised or one foot in each foot well. It’s not going to be very comfortable either way.
The contrast with the flat floor in the Model S is quite stark. And that’s before we even begin discussing the Tesla’s much more generous legroom.
So those who enjoy driving should form up in a queue on the left for the Porsche, but even the hedonists lined up on the right for the Model S might prefer the ride qualities of the Taycan.
When tenths of seconds and g-forces count
There was so much to take into consideration when judging these two cars, and their efficiency as electric vehicles played only a small part in our final decision.
More important was whether the Tesla Model S P100D makes a better limousine than the Porsche Taycan Turbo makes a sports sedan.
Both these cars are great. They look terrific – the Porsche in Gentian Blue and the Tesla in solid black – and they both meet their respective design criteria.
Although the Porsche rides better, the Tesla is no bucket of bolts. There are packaging aspects that favour the Model S, but we come back to the Taycan’s driving dynamics.
We’d happily have either in our garage, and the Tesla has remained remarkably competent and relevant after six years in the market.
On this occasion we’ve selected the Taycan for the win. But it doesn’t wipe the floor with the Model S…
How much does the 2021 Porsche Taycan Turbo cost?
Price: $268,500 (plus on-road costs)
Available: Now
Powertrain: Two asynchronous electric motors
Output: 460kW/850Nm
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear for front axle, two reduction gears at the rear
Battery: 93.4kWh lithium-ion
Range: 420km (ADR)
Energy consumption: 28.0kWh/100km (ADR)
Safety rating: Five-star (Euro NCAP 2019)
How much does the 2019 Tesla Model S P100D cost?
Price: $228,375 (plus on-road costs in 2019)
Available: First registered in 2019
Powertrain: Two three-phase AC induction motors
Output: 568kW/989Nm (1373Nm in Ludicrous mode)
Transmission: Single-speed reduction gear
Battery: 100kWh lithium-ion
Range: 613km (ADR)
Energy consumption: 20kWh/100km (ADR)
Safety rating: Five-star (ANCAP 2015)
Related: Porsche Taycan 2021 Review
Related: Tesla Model S 70D 2015 Video Review
Related: Tesla Model S and Model X on hold until 2022
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