Tesla’s Model S is losing the social media war in several US states to the Porsche Taycan.

Experts believe a major redesign is in order if Elon Musk wants to keep his luxury Sedan atop the EV market.

The innovation gap is narrowing; can Tesla stay ahead of its major German competition?

Tesla’s Model S is under assault.

Comparisons between Elon Musk’s flagship sedan and Porsche’s Taycan are rampant on social media, and despite Tesla’s cult-like following, the Taycan is winning the interest-war in a growing number of US states.

Porsche Taycan Eats Into Tesla Dominance

The competition between the Taycan and the Model S stems from two main fundamentals.

Firstly, it’s impossible to make an electric car without someone comparing it to a Tesla. When it comes to EVs, Musk’s brand is still the yardstick against which they are all measured.

Secondly, is the fact that Tesla’s CEO is a master of leveraging his Twitter following to drive interest and competition.

Elon Musk Created a Rivalry with Porsche – and Boy, Did It Backfire

The genesis of the Taycan vs. Model S war began on Twitter when Elon Musk claimed his car had better performance than the considerably more expensive Porsche.

Things escalated when the world’s biggest car show, “Top Gear,” staged a drag race where the Taycan triumphed.

Musk complained on Twitter, claiming that the TV show didn’t turn on “ludicrous mode,” before announcing an update, which he claimed would make the Model S even faster. Top Gear vehemently denied they botched the race.

As the Twitter data demonstrate, whether true competitors or not, Musk succeeded in pitting the cars as rivals. Unfortunately for the Tesla CEO, he might have been the architect of his rival’s triumph, as Porsche’s EV has emerged as a resounding success amidst intense scrutiny.

EV Competition Could Trigger Major Model S Redesign

Car expert Alan Marek from PartCatalog told CCN.com that he believes that the moment when Germany catches up to Telsa’s innovation is nearly here.

Marek thinks the success of the Porsche Taycan will make a significant redesign in the Model S essential to keep ahead of its most prominent high-performance rival. He said,

While the Tesla S paved the way for high-end electric cars about seven years ago, other car manufacturers are finally starting to play catch-up. Tesla pushed Porsche to innovate – and are finally coming out with the Porsche Taycan. Our bet is that Porsche is now going to force Tesla to innovate the S even further. Tesla has continually tweaked the car over the years, but it hasn’t seen a major redesign yet. Our bet is that the time for a major redesign is drawing near.

German Giants Erase Musk’s Innovation Gap

Porsche and Tesla enjoy two of the most passionate fan-bases in the world of automobiles.

Founded in 1948, Germany’s premier performance brand is considerably older than Elon Musk’s EV upstart, which started in just 2003 (Musk invested in 2004).

Fans of electric vehicles now have plenty of manufacturers to pledge their allegiance to. In the US, the fastest normally wins.

It’s been evident from day one that major car manufacturers would eventually catch up to Tesla. That day has perhaps come faster than even Musk expected, and with several major headwinds, can the peoples’ EV manufacturer make the costly changes it needs to keep its Model S on top?