Porsche has confirmed that its next-generation Boxster and Cayman models will be electric-only. The brand’s best-selling two seaters, currently badged 718, are set to be replaced by 2025 and will make way for pure-electric models, according to Porsche boss Oliver Blume. 

Speaking during a press conference announcing the brand’s financial performance in 2021, Blume said: “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.”

The new models will be built on an all-new set of underpinnings, designed specifically for a compact sports car. Instead of having the battery pack running along the length of the floor, the new platform will have the battery cell packs positioned behind the passenger cell and in just in front of the rear axle. This effectively places the entire pack where the engine sits on the current internal combustion engine model. 

The design is expected to borrow elements from the brand’s Mission R concept car unveiled last year. Although the concept was made from an adapted Cayman, Porsche bosses have made it clear that in order to package battery packs and motor, the electric Boxster and Cayman will be built on a bespoke platform. 

Porsche intends to build the new models at its Stuttgart plant and is understood to be investing £300m to convert the production lines to accommodate the new car’s all-electric drivetrain. The Zuffenhausen plant is already home to the best-selling Taycan model, and houses assembly areas already dedicated to electric motors and axle production. The Taycan production line is one of the most advanced in the world and features a fleet of automated guided vehicles (AGVs) that take parts and sub-assemblies from one area of the factory to another.

Battery supply is likely to come from a joint-venture project Porsche has started with Cellforce. The battery pack manufacturer will build a new plant in Reutlingen, around 30 miles away from Porsche’s Zuffenhausen facility. 

The new Boxster and Cayman models will play a significant role in Porsche’s drive to electrify its range. Bosses have committed to making 80 percent of its range fully electric by 2030. Based on current demand, at least half the brand’s output will be either fully-electric or plug-in hybrid by 2025. The project is understood to be well advanced with Porsche bosses eyeing a market launch in 2024 or 2025.

Mid-mounted battery cluster will ensure a low driving position a sportier driving experience