It’s been two years since Porsche’s R&D Chief, Michael Steiner, told us that the electric 718 wouldn’t happen anytime soon, and in the time since then, there have been some developments. A year after his statement, we learned that Porsche was still undecided about what to do, but eventually we learned that an electric 718 Boxster Concept was going to be revealed “sometime soon.” With rumors floating around about the electric 718 since 2019 and the assumption that it would be based on the Mission R Concept, we’re happy to report that Porsche has finally confirmed that the 718 EV is happening. But, you might not want to get too excited just yet.

Porsche’s Electrification Plans Are Coming Together

During the same conference that brought confirmation that the 911 Hybrid wouldn’t be a plug-in model, Porsche revealed not only that the electric 718 was coming but that it’s coming in 2025 and that an electric powertrain will be the only propulsion option when the next-generation launches. Oddly enough, Porsche is still referring to it as a mid-engined car, with the battery sitting between the axles – suggesting that it’ll be a floor-mounted battery but we already knew that.

The 718 Cayman/Boxster EVs will be the brand’s third electric car, following the Taycan and the Macan EV. The 718 will also be the brand’s first car on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) that has been in development through a partnership with Audi. It’s the same platform that will underpin the Q6 E-Tron and the A6 E-Tron among others. This is great and all, but what can we really expect from the 718 EV? We know it won’t lose its mid-engined driving dynamic, so that’s a plus, but will it be as fast and nimble as the current ICE-powered model?

Well, the Mission R was a track-only concept car and it had over 1,000 horsepower in certain instances and could deliver 680 horsepower consistently from two electric motors (which also meant AWD). That would be a little too much for a road-going car like the 718 Cayman of Boxster. It also will be a bit slower than the Mission R’s 2.5-second sprint to 60 mph and a top speed of 186 mph. It had all that power with a curb weight of 3,306 pounds, which is just 187 pounds more than the Cayman GT4 RS. Now, the 718 Boxster and Cayman EVs could end up with around 400 horsepower and could definitely be offered with dual motors and AWD.

Now, Porsche could use a lot of the Mission R’s DNA, especially since it was based on the Cayman’s chassis. But, this new 718 will be an all-new development with zero carry over from the current model. According to Porsche CEO, Oliver Blume, any carry-over would mean making “too many compromises” Some modules and parts will be shared with other vehicles, however, the platform itself will be bespoke to the 718 model line. So there’s still a lot that we don’t know, and a lot that we’re itching to learn, but the new 718 EV is expected to launch in 2025, and three years goes by pretty fast.