As the company has confirmed a couple of months back, Porsche’s third EV model and first electric two-seater will be the next 718 Boxster and Cayman. While the 911 isn’t expected to adopt EV technology until the end of the decade, the next-generation Boxster and Cayman will be exclusively battery-powered when they arrive as ’25 models in late 2024.
“We are stepping up our electric offensive with another model,” Porsche boss Oliver Blume said in March. “By the middle of the decade, we want to offer our mid-engine 718 sports car exclusively in an all-electric form.”
Porsche went on to say that it is currently developing high-performance battery cells with the Cellforce Group that are expected to be ready for series production in 2024, presumably just in time to appear in the new 718 Boxster and Cayman twins.
Porsche had already dropped a huge hint about the future of the 718 when it released the Mission R concept last year—and these exclusive spy shots prove the production car takes massive influence from the concept. Though allegedly a study looking into a possible future racing car, the concept showcased the styling of the next-generation production car and primed us for the fact that it would come only as an EV.
The all-wheel-drive concept promised 1,073 hp in qualifying trim and 626 hp in race tune, thanks to a 429hp front motor and a 626hp rear-motor setup. However, expect a less-powerful, single-motor, rear-wheel-drive version to be offered alongside the first-ever all-wheel-drive 718 when production starts in late 2024.
Although Porsche is investing in clean-fuel technology that could extend the life of the combustion engine, almost 40% of Porsche’s 2021 output was electrified in some way, and it wants fully electric cars and PHEVs to account for 50% of its global sales by 2025, rising to 80% by 2030.
Photo credit: Brian Williams, SpiedBilde