Porsche 718 Electric Cayman, Boxter May Never See the Light of Day – Here's Why

The 718 Electric Cayman and Boxster may never make it to the road, as Porsche is reportedly weighing the cancellation of these long-awaited EVs due to higher development costs and slower demand in key markets like China. While Porsche has remained tight-lipped about the speculation, reports suggest that CEO Michael Leiters, who joined the company on January 1 after leading McLaren, is under severe internal pressure and facing a tangle of structural issues that have taken a toll on the brand’s finances. One of the options reportedly being considered as part of cost-cutting measures is scrapping plans for electric successors to its iconic 718 Cayman and Boxster, which were discontinued last year.

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Last September, Porsche surprised many by revising its strategy, confirming that it will continue to offer internal combustion engine and hybrid cars ’well into the 2030s’, rather than pursuing an all-electric future as previously suggested. That said, the company reaffirmed its focus on expanding its BEV lineup while moving forward with plans for a new two-door sports car. However, under new leadership, Porsche’s plans for an electric 718 now appear uncertain. If Porsche decides to cancel the launch of the electric 718 Cayman and Boxster despite the PPE Sport platform being almost ready, it would face a highly complex engineering challenge.

For those unaware, the 718 is built from the ground up as an electric car, with its battery pack serving as a key part of the car’s structure. This makes it impossible to simply replace the battery with a gas engine. To continue the lineage with internal combustion engines, Porsche would need a ‘major reverse-engineering’ effort, which comprises rebuilding key parts of the car, like the rear structure and frame supports, among others. This process could delay the return of the new 718 by 2–3 years, leaving the German without its most affordable and entry-level sports car.