Porsche enthusiasts knew the day that the mid-engined Boxster and Cayman went fully electric was just around the corner. And in the meantime, we have seen how Porsche has been experimenting with the different electrification trims for the Cayenne, Macan, and even the 911 GTS T-Hybrid, and two fully electric models in the Taycan and Macan EV.
But while all those were electrified alternatives or larger vehicles. Porsche is working on their first fully electric sports car, which will come under the monikers Boxster and Cayman. We don’t have yet details on their specs and when they will launch, but the Boxster is expected to debut later in 2025, with the Cayman trailing a year later.
The first fully electric sports car from Porsche was their prototype Mission R that debuted in 2021 at the Munich Auto Show. It was a twin-motor powered, all-wheel-drive, in-and-out race car that was capable of producing 1,073hp that would drain it’s 80kWh before it would even have a chance to overheat at full kilt.
However, the Mission R also had a race-compliant mode that capped the power down to 670hp that allowed it to run for 30 minutes in race conditions thanks to the efficiency in powering the motors and, more importantly, recovery energy during braking.
All this was a clear signal from Porsche that they were interested in developing a race-capable fully electric race car that has been dubbed the 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance.
What are our expectations for the new Porsche Boxster and Cayman EVs?
We can expect Stuttgart to create a dedicated platform for the Boxster and Cayman for their battery packs and all the EV equipment, foregoing the industry standard, modular, skateboard-style platform. That would produce a T-shaped section that would take the space the current engine and transmission. This is a similar solution to what Maserati did for the Gran Turismo Folgore, as it allows to make the whole car lower (because there isn’t a battery on the under-side) and the weight distribution can be similar to that of a conventional mid-engine car.
There are no news on how much power the 718 EV will have, but seeing the numbers for the Mission R we can rest assure that Porsche is going to make them quick. While the Mission R featured a single-speed transmission which, depending on the ratio, would allow for a top speed in excess of 186mph
Although we do know that Porsche wanted to keep the weight at around 3,650 pounds (about 1,650kg) and if they succeed. We could see the Cayman stepping on the toes of the 911 pretty quickly even at lower trims as one of the big advantages of EVs is, instant torque.
The 911 has been declared the token for internal combustion engines as long as Porsche is allowed to make them. Eventually with electrification through the entire range to extend the life of the 911 as much as possible. But we have seen what Porsche can do with a hybrid 911 in the GTS T-Hybrid. And if that is what Porsche can do with a hybrid, we cannot wait to see what they can do with a fully electric sports car.
For those looking to buy a gas-powered Cayman or Boxster, hurry up, as both models will cease production in 2025. However, with the recent slowdown in EV growth and infrastructure concerns manufacturers are having a hard time selling battery EVs. Porsche could be planning to sell gas-powered cars for longer than previously thought, as they are rumored to being in development of a new Macan with a gas-powered engine. Also Porsche is one of the biggest investors in synthetic-fuels that could recapture carbon in the atmosphere to create sustainable fuels that would allow for the clean-up of our air and breathe new life into the internal combustion engines.
