Already officially announced, the all-electric Boxster won’t make its debut until 2025. Nevertheless, Porsche has been spotted several times testing the sporty convertible without a combustion engine. What makes this new batch of images different is that the 718 EV has now been captured in paparazzi testing in cold weather near the Arctic Circle. We’re told temperatures have dropped to -25°C (-13°F), which is less than ideal for an electric car.
The prototype appeared to have a mish-mash of old and new parts, some hiding under body-color camouflage. As with the 2024 Taycan and Macan EV testers, Porsche decided to have a little fun and add a fake exhaust tip in the center of the rear bumper, below the license plate. Its shape tells us that the folks at Zuffenhausen were trying to emulate the look of the base Boxster. The mid-engine proportions of the 718 are still there despite the ICE’s retirement.
13 Pictures
Last year’s Mission R concept provided a first look at Porsche’s electric convertible design. Granted, it looked more like a Cayman EV for the track, but some of the design cues will likely be inherited by the road-going 718 duo. Porsche said the zero-emission machines will run on a dedicated platform, but with a few bits from other cars.
The Mission R sat on a modified chassis adapted from the current Cayman. However, rest assured that the following 718 EVs will represent an all-new development, as Porsche has said it will not transfer any hardware from the petrol models. Incidentally, ICE-powered vehicles are set to retire in 2025 when their electric successors are expected to arrive. With the Macan, the German brand does things differently since the crossover will be sold for a while with both types of propulsion.
Weight is always a concern with performance cars, and EVs are notoriously heavy. However, the Mission R tipped the scales at around 1,500 kilograms (3,306 pounds), making it only about 85 kg (187 pounds) heavier than a Cayman GT4 RS. It had a twin-motor configuration, meaning a potential entry-level variant with a single electric motor would be slightly lighter.
Hopefully it won’t take a lot of weight from concept to production. With advancements in energy density, the weight penalty caused by the battery will be overcome. The 718 Boxster/Cayman EV will not be an experiment to test the waters of an electric sports car, but rather a stepping stone towards an ambitious goal. Porsche projects that 80% of annual sales by the end of the decade will be generated by vehicles without ICE.
Already officially announced, the all-electric Boxster won’t make its debut until 2025. Nevertheless, Porsche has been spotted several times testing the sporty convertible without a combustion engine. What makes this new batch of images different is that the 718 EV has now been captured in paparazzi testing in cold weather near the Arctic Circle. We’re told temperatures have dropped to -25°C (-13°F), which is less than ideal for an electric car.
The prototype appeared to have a mish-mash of old and new parts, some hiding under body-color camouflage. As with the 2024 Taycan and Macan EV testers, Porsche decided to have a little fun and add a fake exhaust tip in the center of the rear bumper, below the license plate. Its shape tells us that the folks at Zuffenhausen were trying to emulate the look of the base Boxster. The mid-engine proportions of the 718 are still there despite the ICE’s retirement.
13 Pictures
Last year’s Mission R concept provided a first look at Porsche’s electric convertible design. Granted, it looked more like a Cayman EV for the track, but some of the design cues will likely be inherited by the road-going 718 duo. Porsche said the zero-emission machines will run on a dedicated platform, but with a few bits from other cars.
The Mission R sat on a modified chassis adapted from the current Cayman. However, rest assured that the following 718 EVs will represent an all-new development, as Porsche has said it will not transfer any hardware from the petrol models. Incidentally, ICE-powered vehicles are set to retire in 2025 when their electric successors are expected to arrive. With the Macan, the German brand does things differently since the crossover will be sold for a while with both types of propulsion.
Weight is always a concern with performance cars, and EVs are notoriously heavy. However, the Mission R tipped the scales at around 1,500 kilograms (3,306 pounds), making it only about 85 kg (187 pounds) heavier than a Cayman GT4 RS. It had a twin-motor configuration, meaning a potential entry-level variant with a single electric motor would be slightly lighter.
Hopefully it won’t take a lot of weight from concept to production. With advancements in energy density, the weight penalty caused by the battery will be overcome. The 718 Boxster/Cayman EV will not be an experiment to test the waters of an electric sports car, but rather a stepping stone towards an ambitious goal. Porsche projects that 80% of annual sales by the end of the decade will be generated by vehicles without ICE.