Porsche’s first all-electric four-seat sports car, the Mission E Concept, is one of the most striking, and at the same time, important concepts of this year’s Frankfurt Motor Show.

It is likely the first step towards an all-electric Porsche production model to rival the Tesla Model S and the numbers announced by the automaker are impressive. The Mission E’s two permanent magnet synchronous motors (PMSM) produce more than 600hp, with the battery allowing for a driving range of more than 500 km (310 miles).

It comes with all-wheel drive and all-wheel steering and it can sprint from 0 to 100 km/h (62 mph) in under 3.5 seconds and to 200 km/h (124 mph) in less than 12 seconds. But perhaps more impressive is that it only need 15 minutes to reach an 80 percent charge of electrical energy.

Key to that is the industry’s first 800-volt drive system, which doubles the voltage compared to today’s electric vehicles. The advantages are obvious: shorter charging times and lower weight, because lighter, smaller gage copper cables are sufficient for energy transport.

The Mission E’s lithium-ion battery is mounted in the car’s underbody and runs the whole length between the front and rear axles, helping achieve a uniform weight distribution between the two axles while contributing to an extremely low center of gravity. Porsche says the Mission E laps the Nürburgring Nordschleife in under 8 minutes.

The Mission E is sophisticated inside as well, featuring instruments that are intuitively operated by eye-tracking and gesture control, some even via holograms. The dashboard is divided into three-dimensional structuring layers: the upper layer integrates the driver’s display, and between the levels there is a holographic display that extends far into the passenger’s side. This display shows individually selectable apps that can be used to access primary functions such as media, navigation, climate control, contacts and vehicle.

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