Ever since its arrival in 1996, the Porsche Boxster has been the sports car of choice for those who wanted good looks and the freedom of an open-top convertible. Currently in its fourth generation, the 718 Boxster is still lauded for its affable driving dynamics and for being a technical tour-de-force. However, it’s evident that Porsche is gearing up for the future, developing the next-gen model without an internal combustion – i.e., an all-electric 718 Boxster/718 Boxster EV.
Porsche’s e-mobility strategy
Porsche is planning to make pure-electric versions of almost all models – including the Cayenne, Panamera, Macan and the 718 range. As part of its ‘e-mobility’ strategy, Porsche is hoping that over 80% of all vehicle deliveries in 2030 to be EVs. With the electric Macan SUV having been spotted road-testing ahead of its 2024 launch, it’s now time for the electric 718 Boxster’s trials in the real world.
We’re also planning all-electric versions for a large part of our portfolio, including the 718 and a new all-electric SUV in the luxury class.
Oliver Blume, Chairman of the Executive Board of Porsche & Volkswagen, on Dec 15, 2022 (via Porsche Newsroom)
Design
Recent spy shots seem to show what looks like a heavily-camouflaged 718 Boxster prototype being tested on a public stretch of road in Germany. At first, the test mule resembles a regular ICE-powered Boxster. However, a YouTube video by DrGumoLunatic that was shot in Stuttgart, Germany, posted on November 26, 2022, suggests otherwise. With no engine/exhaust sounds to be heard, it’s possible that the prototype was motivated by electric power alone.
The design of the Porsche 718 Boxster Electric (rendered) should be influenced by the Taycan.
The spy shots also show a staggered wheel arrangement (common in many sports cars), but what’s interesting to note here is how the front & rear wheels of this test mule are of completely different designs. Apart from that, the rear end features one of the 718 Boxster’s characteristic single exhaust tip. Of course, that might have been left on there to confuse curious eyes!
Specifications
We know that the electric Macan SUV is based on Porsche’s newly-developed Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture. As it’s solely meant to be used on the brand’s electric vehicles, and that Porsche is not doing conversion-type EVs, a modified version of the PPE could underpin the 718 Boxster EV. Meanwhile, not much is known about the electric powertrain that the two-door sports car will employ.
The EVs based on PPE platform will come in single-motor RWD and dual-motor AWD configurations. The dual-motor RWD models, relevant to the Porsche 718 Boxster Electric, will get an additional motor, either a permanent magnet synchronous motor or an asynchronous motor, spinning the front wheels. A combined output of up to 475 kW (646 PS/637 hp) is possible with the PPE.
It’s unlikely that, even with a battery pack weighing it down, Porsche’s lightest EV will require that amount of power to be fun and exciting. Moreover, the electric 718 Boxster may be offered in rear-wheel drive (with a single-motor system) for a tempting entry-level variant. Of course, these remain mere speculations for now.
Porsche 718 Boxster Electric Price & Release Date
According to Porsche’s Oliver Blume, the electric Macan should be available to customers in 2024. As for the electric 718 Boxster, it’s in its early stages of testing and development. Therefore, we can expect the company to release it sometime in 2025, for under USD 80,000, in the U.S. market.
Shrawan Raja Founder & CEO
An automobile engineer by qualification, I’ve analyzed the global car market since 2005 and reviewed electric vehicles since 2008. In my 15 years in the online automotive publishing, I’ve edited around 35,000 articles.
Keyword: 2025 Porsche 718 Boxster Electric: Here’s our first look