Heavily influenced by the Mission R Concept, the new Boxster EV will be launched in 2025
The next generations Porsche 718 Boxster and Cayman will be all-electric. The black prototype captured in these spy shots published by Motor1.com, represents our first look at the new soft-top Boxster.
If you're a fan of the current 718 series, the news is good. Despite the fact that the internal combustion engine is being completely scrapped, Porsche's next-generation sports car will retain the proportions of the outgoing model. It will draw a lot of inspiration from the styling of the Porsche Mission R Concept, particularly at the front, where the narrow, rectangular headlights look identical. The large air intakes dominate the lower bumper, although we can see that they are closed behind the heavy camouflage!
The familiar side intakes in front of the rear wheels are also closed. However, that's not enough to confirm that this is an EV, instead the rear gives it away. The central exhaust outlet is clearly fake and there are no other discrete pipes visible on this prototype.
Obviously we are looking at a very crude prototype that could even be a test mule wearing a bunch of external panels. However, Porsche is taking steps to hide certain body lines, especially around the lights and fascias. It's likely that these surfaces will change significantly before the production model is revealed.
When that happens, we expect to see an EV using the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture being developed with Audi. Porsche has already confirmed this, stating that the current 718 platform would require "too many compromises" in its transition to electrification. The all-new model will incorporate its battery pack low down, positioned between the front and rear axles to keep the engine balanced in the middle and maintain weight distribution. Expect a single-engine version to power the rear wheels, and in the first phase for the Boxster/Cayman, a dual-engine option for all-wheel drive will be offered.
How much power will the electric 718 Boxster have? That's still unknown, although the Mission R Concept produced no less than 1,073 horsepower (800 kilowatts) with front and rear engines working in tandem. Such power will almost certainly not make it to production, but it's safe to say that the new model will be very fast.
Porsche has already confirmed the next-generation Boxster and Cayman for 2025. Expect them to be unveiled sometime in 2023, with production starting in late 2024.
