We Rode in Porsche's Upcoming 718 Boxster EVPorscheWe got to ride shotgun in the upcoming 718 Boxster EV at Porsche's Weissach test track in Germany.The battery is placed behind the seats instead of under the floor, giving the car a low seating position and dynamics that mimic a mid-engined sports car.The electric Boxster we rode in was rear-wheel drive and featured the E-Shift system found in the Taycan, which simulates gearchanges via paddles.At long last, Porsche's electric replacement for the beloved 718 Boxster and Cayman is right around the corner. First confirmed in 2022, the 718 EV has faced lengthy delays, but today at Porsche's Capital Markets Day, where the company revealed its plans for the next several years, it confirmed that the 718 EV will finally arrive in 2027. And after we rode in a prototype around Porsche's Weissach test track, the electric sports car feels tantalizingly close.Porsche is still being coy with details about the first electric 718, which will be sold as the Boxster convertible and Cayman coupe. We don't know power outputs or specifics about the powertrains, chassis, or estimated driving range. However, Porsche did reveal that its electric sports car will take a novel approach to the battery placement, eschewing the skateboard-style setup that's commonplace in EVs, where the battery sits under the floor.PorscheInstead, Porsche has mounted the battery, which is also structurally integrated into the chassis, exactly where the internal-combustion engine was in the gas-powered 718 models: directly behind the seats. Porsche refers to this as its E-Core architecture and says the setup is meant to preserve the mid-engined driving character of the gas-fed 718s. In a combustion Boxster, 59.8 percent of the weight sat over the rear axle, while in the 718 EV, 55.2 percent of the weight is positioned at the rear.The battery's unique placement is evident the moment you slide into the electric 718's seat. Many EVs have a high seating position due to the battery being positioned under the floor, but the electric Boxster we rode in felt shockingly familiar to the recently discontinued gas-fed Boxster, both in its low-slung seating position and in its overall proportions. While the lightly camouflaged model clearly has different headlights and taillights and appears to ditch the intake just ahead of the rear wheels, the lithe shape feels almost identical to the gas-burning 718, and Porsche says the E-Core setup was crucial for this as well.Porsche also says the mid-mounted battery placement allowed the company to maintain the "signature balance, agility, and precision" of its gas sports car, despite the new-age powertrain. While we weren't able to drive the Boxster EV ourselves, it certainly felt nimble from the passenger's seat as we blasted around the tight, twisty Weissach circuit.PorscheOur driver told us the prototype we were in was rear-wheel drive, although we don't know if that means a single rear-mounted motor or two rear motors, one for each wheel. Still, the Boxster EV seems to readily rotate and eagerly dive into the corner without the driver needing to make corrections. It cornered flat, and while it will most likely be heavier than its gas-powered predecessor, the weight didn't have a noticeable detriment to the handling. Despite the car's agility, the suspension still felt fairly compliant as our driver bashed over the curbs.We can also confirm that the 718 EV will have the E-Shift mode that arrived in the Taycan for 2027, where the car simulates gearchanges and engine noises. Our driver told us he loved it, as it gave him more reference points when driving on track and a better sense of how the car was behaving. Plus, he said it was just plain fun. The faux engine noises didn't sound too artificial and weren't overwhelmingly loud, unlike the sound effects in the Dodge Charger Daytona.There's still a lot left to learn about the new Boxster EV. Porsche says it will have an 800-volt architecture to allow for rapid recharging. The automaker also said it has developed the battery for repeatable performance, but we'll still have to wait to find out key information such as power, range, pricing, and more. Still, this first taste has us eager to try more, and we look forward to soon getting behind the wheel ourselves.➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029
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