The Porsche Mission E is the most highly anticipated car of the next decade. Porsche has been showing off concept versions of this stunning EV since 2015 and the car will finally be production ready in 2020. As we anxiously await the production version, Porsche has decided to tease us all even more at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. Instead of simply showing the Mission E yet again, Porsche has brought a new version of the car called the Mission E Cross Turismo. It was only a matter of time before the Mission E became a crossover.
The original Mission E was shown as a sleek five-door coupe, but we knew Porsche planned to build more models on the platform. Porsche calls the Mission E Cross Turismo a Cross Utility Vehicle (CUV) rather than a full on SUV. The Cross Turismo looks lower than a normal SUV, but taller than a traditional car. Think of it like the new Buick Regal TourX, Audi A4 Allroad, or Volvo V90 Cross Country. The Cross Turismo is powered by two permanent magnet synchronous motors producing over 600 hp. These motors propel the car from 0-62 mph in less than 3.5 seconds and onto a 120 mph top speed in under 12 seconds.
In addition to the impressive figures, Porsche says this will be a massive leap forward for EV performance. Porsche claims drivers will be able to perform multiple acceleration runs in direct succession without loss of performance. This ability is unmatched by today's EVs. Power is distributed to all four wheels through an on-demand all-wheel-drive system with Porsche Torque Vectoring. The car will also handle thanks to all-wheel steering and an adaptive air suspension. Porsche Dynamic Chassis Control is standard to help minimize body roll during hard cornering.
The interior of the Cross Turismo still looks very much like a concept car. Porsche says the infotainment is positioned within the driver's field of vision to provide minimal distraction. The instrument cluster uses three round virtual gauges that can show Porsche Connect, performance, drive, energy and Sport Chrono. The car even uses a camera in the rear-view mirror to detect where the driver is looking with an eye-tracking system. The displays in the driver's line of sight are made larger while the others are made smaller. Operating the system can be done on smart touch controls on the steering wheel.
A passenger screen extends down the length of the interior, as well as a center console with touch screen controls. Drivers will even be able to change the car's settings using a tablet or smart watch. The whole thing looks very futuristic and we hope the final interior ends up looking like this. Porsche promises an 800-volt architecture with a 250-mile range in a 15 minute charge time. The car can be charged at home or on the road using arterial roads that will be built as part of the IONITY joint venture. The battery can be recharged at a charging station or a Porsche home energy storage system, which can be powered by solar energy.
The Mission E Cross Turismo shows off the flexibility of the Mission E platform as well as the future flexibility of electric cars. The wait for the final production version just became even more painful.
