With Porsche killing the 718 in Europe due to cybersecurity regulations, its all-electric successor can't come soon enough. Ahead of its release in 2025, the Boxster EV was spotted cold-weather testing in Scandinavia. Some of these prototypes now have the final headlights and taillights, but that center exhaust tip is definitely fake.
This is a running joke with Porsche; both Taycan prototypes had fake exhaust tips before they debuted. In addition, the Macan EV was also seen with fake exhausts during the testing phase. We won't be surprised if the already confirmed three-row electric SUV and Cayenne EV will adopt a similar setup once testing starts.
But we can't help but notice the large charging port door in the center of the rear bumper. EV owners usually juice up the batteries from one of the car's sides, but that won't be the case with the future Boxster. It's also different from what Porsche is using considering the Taycan has dual charging ports on the front fenders while the Macan has the pair on the rear fenders. We can't tell because the prototypes are still cleverly camouflaged but it looks as though the next-gen 718 will only have one charging port.
Likely carrying the "983" internal codename, the next-gen 718 could retain the "Boxster" moniker despite doing away with the boxer engine. That wouldn't be surprising—the Taycan Turbo doesn't have a turbocharger. These are popular nameplates Porsche doesn't want to retire.
The new electric sports car will retain the fabric roof, two-seat layout, and front trunk, but it will be a different model underneath the skin. It could borrow bits and pieces from the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) hardware co-developed by Porsche with Audi. We're expecting rear- and all-wheel-drive versions with single- and dual-motor setups, respectively. The Boxster is likely to come out first, with the Cayman coupe to follow shortly after that.
The new electric-only Macan has a lithium-ion battery pack with a usable capacity of 95.0 kilowatt-hours, but Porsche might downsize it for the Boxster/Cayman to reduce the weight penalty. People buying a sports car are more willing to settle for less range if that means extra performance. If the future 718 gets the same 800-volt architecture as the crossover, it should support DC charging at 270 kilowatts.
Don't expect a design overhaul since Porsche prefers evolutionary over revolutionary. However, the current car's interior is beginning to show its age, which is why prototypes of its replacement have been spotted with a more modern dashboard. Aside from the usual bigger screens, those cars had touch buttons on the center console to adjust the temperature as well as the heated and ventilated seats.
The future 718s will be sold exclusively with electric power but the current Boxster and Cayman are not going away. Although the duo is being phased out in the European Union, the gasoline sports cars are sticking around in other markets. Porsche will sell the ICE and EV models together for an unspecified amount of time before inevitably pulling the plug on the former. It's the same story with the old and new Macan.
