SPY PICS: All-electric Porsche 718 Boxster spotted

The first spy images of what’s thought to be the next-generation battery-electric Porsche 718 Boxster have emerged out of Europe some 14 months after the debut of the Porsche Mission R electric race car concept.

Sources within Porsche revealed at the time that in addition to previewing an electric customer racing vehicle, the Mission R would also serve as the basis for a future production model; namely the next-generation Porsche Cayman coupe that will again be twinned with the next Boxster roadster.

The all-electric ‘mid-engined’ 718 twins were effectively confirmed in March this year when Porsche confirmed the next-generation 718 sports cars would indeed only be available with battery power.

“We are stepping up our electric offensive with another model: by the middle of the decade, we want to offer our mid-engine 718 sports car exclusively in an all-electric form,” Porsche chairman Oliver Blume declared at the brand’s 2021 financial briefing.

Development work has clearly been going on for a fair bit longer than that, given the first prototypes are now out and about, revealing toned-down and road-friendly iterations of many of the Mission R’s key styling cues.

Starting at the front, the prototype features a similar squared-off front bumper and intake design as the racing concept, as well as a more rectangular lighting signature, although this remains largely disguised.

The Mission R similarities continue at the rear, primarily in the form of the high-set slimline tail-light design and basic contouring of the rear fascia. However, it’s clear the rear bumper is far from complete.

Other notable features include staggered wheel sizes, the lack of side air intakes and a raised brake light strip on the roof compartment.

Obvious differences between the prototype sports car and the concept racer include the former’s lack of an oversized rear wing, aggro rear diffuser, aerodynamic wheels and a solid roof, which should reappear when it comes to the related Cayman.

Virtually nothing is known about the new 718’s underpinnings or battery-electric drivetrain, but the Mission R was said to be powered by an 800kW dual-motor electric powertrain good for more than 300km/h and a 0-100km/h acceleration time of less than 2.5 seconds.

Given the 718’s positioning as the entry-level sports car within Porsche’s portfolio it’s almost certain the next-gen Boxster and Cayman EVs won’t produce anywhere near that sort of power and more than likely won’t ruffle the feathers of the Porsche Taycan electric sedan in terms of sheer firepower.

Their much smaller dimensions, presumably lighter weight and more traditional sports car intentions could feasibly yield similar performance figures to the mid-range Taycans, but Porsche is unlikely to allow its EV flag-bearer, let alone the iconic 911, to be overhauled by its entry-level two-doors.

It will be interesting to see exactly where Porsche goes with the project and what other details emerge over the coming months in the lead-up to the new 718’s expected reveal in 2025.

We’re also keen to see what Audi makes of it, given the electric 718 twins are expected to effectively spawn the next-generation Audi TT.

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