The scales of the Porsche 718 Boxster EV from 2026 can be seen in the latest spy pictures
Prototypes of Porsche’s first electric sports car have been spotted testing again, this time near the Arctic Circle in northern Sweden.
The car is a redesigned 718 Boxster Cabriolet, for which there were plans confirmed in 2022 from Porsche boss Oliver Blume for the market launch around 2025. A market launch in the USA is likely to coincide with the 2026 model year. An electric 718 Cayman Coupé is also said to be in the planning stages.
The latest prototypes have shed many of the camouflages used on previous vehicles, with details such as the active shutters in the front fascia and the light strip that forms the taillights clearly visible. The exhaust port on some prototypes is designed to deceive onlookers, and it looks like an active rear wing may sit on the leading edge of the rear deck. The sound from the car in the video Auto spy media includes the distinct whir of an electric powertrain.
While the proportions are similar to the current 718, the car appears wider overall and lower at the front. The headlights are also similar to those on the electric 2024 Macan unveiled in January and the updated Taycan 2025 just revealed last month. The design of the car was presented by the preview Porsche Mission R concept This was unveiled during the 2021 Munich Motor Show and also signaled Porsche’s intention to develop an electric car for racing.
Porsche Mission R concept
The electric 718 is expected to offer a choice of rear- or all-wheel drive. The Mission R concept features a dual-motor all-wheel drive system that produces 670 horsepower in race mode and a temporary 1,073 horsepower in a mode designed for short qualifying runs. The concept also has a single-speed transmission that, depending on the gear ratio, enables a top speed of more than 300 km/h. Porsches 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance The racing car prototype based on the Mission R has two single-speed transmissions and achieves top speeds that can keep up with current racing cars.
Even at that lower performance limit, the electric 718 would be a match for the 911, especially if Porsche comes anywhere close to its claimed maximum curb weight of 3,650 pounds. To differentiate the two cars, the 911 will retain a gasoline engine for as long as regulations allow. It’s too early to talk about range, but the Mission R concept featured an 80 kWh battery that was estimated to provide a range of about 250 miles.
The electric 718 is expected to be based on a dedicated EV platform. Probably the same in Mission RThe platform would thus house the batteries in a T-shaped section that fills the center tunnel and the area behind the seats. Such a layout allows designers to keep the height of the car low while achieving weight distribution similar to a mid-engine car. Maserati will do the same upcoming electric version of the MC20 super sports car.
The move to an EV platform means Porsche won’t offer a next-generation gasoline-powered 718. However, Porsche is expected to continue offering the current 718 alongside the new electric 718 for a while, possibly with updates. The gas-powered Macan will also be sold alongside the new electric Macan at times. Porsche may also do the same with the current Cayenne an electric Cayenne will come onto the market around 2026.
The accelerated growth in demand for premium electric vehicles has surprised many automakers, including Porsche. The automaker recently predicted that half of its lineup would be electrified (hybrids and electric vehicles) by 2025, but now it openly states that half of its lineup will likely be fully electric vehicles by that date. Porsche predicts that by 2030 only the 911 will have an internal combustion engine.
Back in 2011, Porsche brought an electric Boxster prototype onto the market. Called Boxster EThe prototype was developed purely for research purposes and featured a 29 kWh battery and a single electric motor with an output of 240 hp.
