British TV presenters Richard Hammond and James May have staged a head-to-head contest between a Porsche Taycan Turbo GT and a Pipistrel Velis Electro electric aircraft, filming the event for the DriveTribe YouTube channel.
The 174km route began at Henstridge Airfield on the Somerset–Dorset border and ended at Dunsfold Aerodrome, the former home of the presenters’ long-running motoring programme’s test track.
May piloted the Velis Electro, one of the world’s first commercially available electric aircraft, while Hammond drove the Taycan Turbo GT. The straight-line distance of 129km fell well within the car’s up-to-555 km range; its 0–100kph sprint time of 2.3 seconds is enabled by a peak torque of 1,240Nm and a maximum system output of 1,108 PS when using Launch Control with Overboost.
In the event of a low battery, the Taycan can charge from 10 per cent to 80 per cent state of charge in just 18 minutes via its 320 kW peak charging capacity.
The electric plane, by contrast, is limited to a maximum flight duration of around 50 minutes, necessitating a planned charging stop at Thruxton Aerodrome roughly halfway along the course. Pre-flight checks for the Velis Electro proved to be as straightforward as those for a modern electric car.
During the race, the aircraft benefitted from a consistent tailwind of 20–30 knots, while the Taycan encountered typical road conditions, including traffic, speed limits and construction.
Hammond made use of the car’s panoramic roof with Variable Light Control to scan the sky for May’s aircraft. The film also highlights the Taycan’s standard Porsche Active Ride chassis control system, which independently adjusts tensile and compressive forces at each wheel to maintain stability and comfort on uneven surfaces.
Viewers are shown close-up footage of tyres remaining in contact with the road as the vehicle negotiates bends and undulations.
Over the course of the journey, both competitors adhered to pre-calculated journey times to ensure a close contest. May paused briefly at Thruxton for a refreshment before resuming flight, while Hammond navigated both motorway and winding back roads.
Watch the race video till the end to find out the outcome.
