Next Porsche Cayman and Boxster set to switch to EV

Porsche is considering replacing the current 718 Porsche Boxster and Cayman with all-new pure-electric models in 2023 that will offer even more explosive performance.

According to Auto Express, a decision on whether to switch to battery power is a "few more months" away, with some senior execs fearing the move isn't viable for its small sports cars.

However, Porsche CEO Oliver Blume said the move to EV is looking "more feasible than not".

Introduced in 2016, the current 982-generation Porsche Boxster and Cayman is nearing the end of its life, with the debate raging over whether or not the replacement should go pure-electric reportedly dating back to 2019.

Now Blume says a deadline for the decision has been set for the European summer, when engineering work is scheduled to commence on the all-new coupe and roadster.

Confirming an electric entry-level family of sportscars was under consideration at Porsche's annual results conference, Blume said: "There is an opportunity that we will do the 718 electric but we are still in a concept period, where we haven't decided yet. To go electric now we need future battery evolution. 

"We will wait a couple of months more before we decide which concept we will use. But I think there is a positive potential to do this, and when we do the 718 electric it should be driven like a 911 and all the other sports cars."

If green-lit for production, the 718 Porsche Boxster and Cayman will almost certainly be based on the Volkswagen Group Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture that's currently being developed by Porsche and Audi for the next Porsche Macan and Audi Q6 e-tron.

Heavily related to the Porsche Taycan J1 platform, the PPE uses an 800-volt electronic architecture that features batteries capable of an ultra-rapid DC charge.

Porsche is set to use a high-output electric motor to drive the rear wheels, but another front-mounted motor could also be added to provide all-wheel drive for Turbo or Turbo S models.

With a range of around 500km expected, power could be pegged at anywhere from 400kW to 500kW, offering a 0-100km/h sprint at comfortably less than 3.0 seconds for the fastest models.

The biggest compromise of the PPE architecture is the challenge it will pose to designers. Mounting the batteries low under the floor is ideal for SUVs but could give a small sports car odd proportions, with a larger body needed to conceal the thicker floor and battery pack.

The good news is the next Boxster and Cayman are happening. Concerns had surfaced among enthusiasts that the current Porsche 718 might not be replaced following a decline in small sports car sales and the decision by other car-makers not to replace existing models. The Mercedes-Benz SLK is a case in point.

Blume, meanwhile, is defiant, saying whether it's all-electric or petrol-powered, the fifth-generation Boxster and fourth instalment of Cayman will be launched.

"We will continue with the model range of the 718," he said. "That is clear. If it's combustion engine or electric isn't decided yet."

Instead of the disadvantages of pure-electric power – the extra weight, charging times, etc – Blume is focused on the benefits.

"You can't compare combustion engines with electric motors but there are a lot of positive advantages of electromobility because of the punch and the acceleration you can put into the car," he said.

Despite the preference of pure-electric power for the Porsche 718, Blume is still committed to offering combustion power in the short-to-medium term.

"I think we need both [ICE and EV] for the next years. Therefore, we have flexibility in our product range to continue with the 911 on combustion engines, to continue with other cars on combustion engines, to produce hybrids with higher electric-only ranges, to introduce hybrids on the 911; there are still a lot of options for combustion engines," he said.

"But coming from a sustainability perspective, the long-term future will be electromobility and I think drivers who have already driven electric cars are very convinced.

"I think we can convince the community as well, especially as we did it with the Taycan. We have much more ideas for our future electric cars. Our future electric cars are 100 per cent Porsche."