The internal combustion engine’s impending doom is being bemoaned by passionate drivers everywhere, who claim electric motors are inappropriate for sports cars. However, given that one of the biggest names in the industry is on the case and Porsche has already stated that it is actually developing an all-electric 718, perhaps they should not worry as much about this (of creating an engaging, exciting electric sports car).
Porsche just revealed that the next-generation 718 (formerly known as the Cayman and Boxster) will only be offered with an electric drivetrain during its annual conference. The carmaker also disclosed that the upcoming 911 would be a non-plug-in hybrid and that the new electric sports vehicle will make its debut in 2025.
It may come as a surprise that the automaker decided to make the 718 entirely electric given that it has previously announced its desire to develop synthetic fuels in order to continue selling ICE sports cars after the majority of gas-burning vehicles have been phased out. There is greater room to experiment with the 718’s formula because the 911 will serve as more of a halo vehicle and is carrying the weight of tradition more heavily than the latter.
It also needs to be a solid practical choice given how admirably well Porsche achieved with the Taycan, which still handles like a sports car despite being a heavy three-box EV. Given that a raspy exhaust and shifting gears won’t be included in the package, Porsche will be able to focus even more on making the 718 enjoyable and engaging.
In relation to gear changes, Toyota has filed a patent for a concept that would incorporate a manual transmission (with clutch) into a futuristic sporty EV. The patent drawings give the idea that everything is somewhat fabricated, but the fact that Toyota is making the effort to even contemplate this, let alone patent it, shows that it is significant to some drivers, significant enough that Toyota might actually accomplish it.
The Porsche Taycan also has a gearbox, although a two-speed one that is solely used for the rear axle, demonstrating that the automaker is not one to follow the crowd and give up on gears. Although some people have criticized the two-speed transmission as an unneeded complexity, Porsche engineers did have their reasons for adopting it. It was designed by ZF for Porsche and Audi (better acceleration off the line and better efficiency at speed).
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What will happen to the Porsche 718 next? We are aware that it will be electric and that Porsche wants it to have the characteristics of a true mid-engined sports vehicle.
Despite being electrified, Porsche promises that the next Boxster and Cayman will retain their driving dynamics.
The manufacturer has said that the present models, which are now built on a platform that is six years old, will be replaced by an electric version in 2024 or 2025; the precise date will depend on emissions standards.
Don’t anticipate the next-generation vehicle to abandon the mid-engined balance and traditional driver concentration found in the current versions.
According to Mr. Walliser, Porsche intends to engineer that experience by building a nimble, tiny car with pleasing proportions. Acceleration and pure performance won’t always be the main emphasis.
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It goes beyond just having a sporty automobile with excellent acceleration. It is the car’s handling, feedback, and sound. A sports automobile is made up of all these components, he claimed. a It’s not always a good indicator of a car’s true potential to look at output. a
Given this, there is no assurance that the next 718 will have an all-wheel drive system and a dual-motor drivetrain. Only the back wheels are driven in the present model.
All-wheel drive was described by Mr. Walliser as “interesting,” but he cited weight, packaging, and weight distribution as potential drawbacks for a dual-motor arrangement in a small electric sports car. It is currently a clear maybe.
Although the Mission R motorsports concept (above) gives some indications of what to anticipate, it is unclear which components of the show car with a racing theme will be used in the final product.
It generates a constant 500kW combined power in race mode thanks to 320kW front and 480kW rear motors. When the powertrain is switched to qualifying mode, it produces an astounding 800kW. Don’t anticipate finding such figures on production models.
Porsche says there will be little crossover between its small gasoline and electric sports cars, but it has pledged to keep the gasoline Macan around alongside the electric variant that will be available in 2023.
What’s still in the 718 of the current generation? The internal-combustion Cayman and Boxster could release additional performance until 2024, but the Porsche GT4 RS has just launched and currently marks the performance peak.
How sales of the Cayman and Boxster perform over the ensuing few years will determine exactly what that will look like, but Mr. Walliser said low-volume halo vehicles and higher-volume, lower-performance specials are on the table.
It is confirmed that the upcoming Porsche 718 will be an electric mid-engine sports car.
Porsche CEO Oliver Blume has revealed that the Boxster and Cayman, the company’s upcoming 718 sports cars, will be entirely electric.
He did not specify a specific year, but stated that “by the middle of the decade, we intend to only offer our mid-engine 718 sports vehicle in an all-electric form.” After the Taycan and the impending Macan EV, this will be Porsche’s third entirely electric vehicle.
Porsche quickly switches to battery power. More than 40,000 copies of the Taycan were sold last year.
The 718, according to Blume, will be a true sports vehicle. “It will have classic roadster size. We never merely design our EVs to compete with other EVs; we always design them to be 100% Porsche. Our reference point for the Taycan was the 911.”
Porsche’s seventh-generation 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster will only use electric power.
Whether you like it or not, the horizontally opposed “lumps” on both 718 models are going away when the fifth generation of the two sports cars is introduced in three years.
The flat-four and flat-six engines in the mid-engine Porsche 718 Cayman coupe, 718 Boxster convertible, and the Spyder, if available, will be replaced by entirely electric power by 2025, according to Porsche CEO Oliver Blume.
Porsche’s entry-level sports cars are being designed to maintain their lightweight DNA, and many lessons learned from building the all-electric Porsche Taycan as well as the upcoming 2024 Macan EV (that we previously covered) should aid development of the two-place performance duet. However, there have been no announcements regarding specific powertrain details.
Technology from the 919 hypercar and LMP1 Le Mans racer is expected for the 911 hybrid power unit.
Additionally, Porsche’s 911 will maintain its current portfolio of internal combustion engines into the unforeseeable future. However, starting in 2025, customers will have more powertrain options, including a hybrid-electric alternative. With a nod to the LMP1 Le Mans race-spec power unit, which was also utilized in the incredible 919 hybrid supercar, Blume said this electrified 911 will even derive its tech from the brand’s multi-championship-winning motorsports branch. Blume went on to say that a future 911 GT3 might be equipped with a hybrid powertrain.
With hybrids in mind, could Porsche compete in Formula One? Blume hinted that additional surprises might be in store for us soon, though we wouldn’t want to speculate.
spy images of the upcoming redesign of the Porsche 718 Cayman
The new mechanicals are concealed beneath the temporary body of a current-generation model, and Porsche engineers are currently inspecting what is most likely an early test mule for the 718 Cayman and 718 Boxster.
The current sports car pair debuted for the 2017 model year, but its ancestors were the 2013 Cayman and Boxster models.
Sales of the new generation should begin around 2023 because it is anticipated to be available for the 2024 model year.
The track width has significantly grown at both ends, as can be seen in spy photos of the test mule. There is a longer portion in front of the rear wheels, which suggests that the wheelbase is longer as well. Porsche’s mid-engine sports car appears to be getting bigger for the following generation.
Normally, suspension systems are tested using the foam cushioning found on the underbody and inside the wheel arches. It aids the engineers in figuring out how much compression is possible without the wheels or the underbody contacting the wheel arches or the ground.
The interior, according to our photographer, was similarly crammed with measurement tools.
The internal combustion engine of the test mule was also confirmed by our photographer. Porsche has not specifically stated what to anticipate in the upcoming 718, but a rumor from 2019 indicated that both hybrid and completely electric powertrains would be available. Porsche CEO Oliver Blume suggested that an electrified 718 was a possibility. He made that statement in 2018 while also disqualifying an electric 911.
Porsche will release a more extreme RS version of the existing 718 Cayman GT4 ahead of the next-generation 718. It will probably act as the present generation’s farewell. Remain tuned.
Would you buy a sports Porsche powered by electricity?
A new Porsche 718 is on the horizon, although its powertrain is currently unknown. A new 718 is on the way, but it won’t hit dealer lots for a few years because its powertrain hasn’t even been decided, according to Porsche CEO Oliver Blume in a recent interview with Top Gear. His claims suggest that powertrain options might include an all-electric system or a more effective internal combustion engine.
The Porsche 718 fills an intriguing niche in the Porsche lineup because it’s designed to be less expensive than a 911 and, although having a better mid-engine layout, it still falls short of the 911’s performance. Working in the shadow of the 911 isn’t exactly fair, and Porsche is aware of this. As a result, every year the performance of the 718 approaches that of its larger, rear-engine sibling.
What will so decide the 718 successors’ propulsion needs in the future? Top Gear was informed by Blume that “Whether an electric vehicle or an internal combustion engine is better depends on how good the battery is. It isn’t right now.” This is not to suggest that things won’t change in a few years given how quickly battery technology is developing, but given where things stand right now, we can anticipate that the next iteration of the 718 will continue to use an internal combustion engine.
Due to the smaller turbocharged boxer engine that replaced the recognizable flat-6, the current generation Porsche 718 shocked the Porsche community when it made its debut. Porsche decided to offer a special edition 718 with a 4.0-liter flat-6 because, despite having superior performance and emissions on paper, the new engine lacked the emotion and engagement of the previous flat-6.
I’m confident Porsche would not switch to an EV drivetrain just because it makes sense on paper after learning this hard lesson. The 718 EV must also be more enjoyable to drive now that customers have made it clear that driving emotion and pleasure are significant factors in a Porsche purchase.
Price and release information for the new electrified Porsche Cayman
The new electrified 718 Cayman will debut in 2025, according to Porsche. No time to wait that long? As was the case with the Mission E concept, which gave a sneak peek at the Porsche Taycan’s design, you can anticipate a concept car to make an appearance a few years before that to preview the completed car’s design.
To cover the cost of all the new technology, prices will probably increase significantly from the PS46,000 starting price of the present model.
It might even initially be marketed alongside current internal combustion variants. This would be similar to Porsche’s intentions to sell a new Macan EV in addition to the gasoline-powered variant, at least for a few years.
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