LOS ANGELES – Porsche is receiving a surprising amount of interest from Tesla owners for its new all-electric Taycan sports car, according to the head of the automaker's North American operations.

Klaus Zellmer, president and CEO Porsche Cars North America, said out of "thousands" of potential U.S. customers who have shown "sincere interest" in the vehicle, Tesla owners are the highest among non-Porsche owners.

"They currently drive a Tesla, they're open to experiencing something new now," he told CNBC on the sidelines of the L.A. Auto Show in November. "We're very happy about that."

The German automaker, according to Zellmer, was "surprised" by the initial number of owners from Tesla, which is known for its cult following.

"We were actually surprised right from the get-go to see Tesla be so much in the foreground as a potential source of business," he said.

Behind Tesla owners were Porsche's usual competitors such as Audi, BMW and Mercedes-Benz. Current Porsche owners made up about half of the potential U.S. consumers who have shown significant interest in the vehicle, according to Zellmar. The company declined to disclose a specific amount of U.S. hand raisers for the Taycan.