The 718 is one of the last truly great sports cars. It receives near-universal praise by adhering to a simple formula: An engine in the middle and a manual transmission, packaged into a sleek, well-built layout. This collection of attributes is exceedingly rare in 2025.
The 718 is also old. It runs on a version of the 981-generation Cayman and Boxster platform, which debuted way back in 2012. That’s most evident in the interior, which hasn’t changed much in over a decade. Upgrades are needed, no doubt.
But going electric is not the answer. The 718 is the purest form of driving fun from Porsche, and to turn it into an EV would strip away much of what makes it so special. I see so little hope for this car that I believe it should just be shelved. Here’s why.
Who Are the Customers? Do They Even Exist?
It was back in 2022 when Porsche announced that the 718 would be going electric. That feels like a lifetime ago, at the tail-end of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent world shutdowns, production pauses, supply chain disruptions, and fluctuations in demand for EVs and gas-powered cars alike.
With tariffs in the mix and the impending doom of the federal tax credit, the dust is far from settled. But one thing is clear: The mass adoption of EVs isn’t happening as quickly as Porsche expected. Five years ago, much of the world suspected we’d all be driving electric cars by 2030, mostly due to government mandates. Clearly, that’s not going to happen.
From the get-go, the announcement of an electric 718 felt like something Porsche had to do, not something people clamored for. It was either go electric or let the car die. Now, in 2025, it feels like the German automaker is developing a car for a customer base that never materialized.
The only time you’ll hear, “I’m hyped to take delivery of my electric 718!” will be from a customer desperate to stay on the list for a GT3 allocation. There will be outliers, sure, but the Venn diagram for those who think just as highly of the EV as the outgoing gas-powered car will likely be two entirely separate circles.
The current 718 is already a niche vehicle for Porsche. It’s the company’s second-lowest seller—only the all-electric Taycan sold fewer units last year. Switching the little two-seater to EV power will bury it into an even deeper niche—one that might not even exist.
Proof of that is evident elsewhere in Porsche’s lineup. The Macan was supposed to go all-electric last year, but continued demand for the gas-powered version has forced the company to build both variants alongside each other. Guess which model sees more sales?
Porsche Is Struggling to Make the Electric 718 Viable
Several manufacturers have attempted to emulate the soul of gas-powered cars in their EVs, whether through faux exhaust noises or synthetic gearboxes, to garner sales. Some (like Hyundai) do it better than others (like Dodge). Removing the engine from a mid-engine car highlights a broader issue with the car’s handling attributes.
Mid-engine cars have their engine in the middle to optimize weight distribution and improve handling. As such, mid-engine cars feel a certain way to drive versus, say, a front- or rear-engine car. Replicating that feeling in an EV is tough, considering most use floor-mounted batteries, which place the bulk of the car’s weight at the bottom of the chassis.
That’s great for outright handling prowess, but it means EVs are harder to differentiate from behind the wheel. Porsche has been mum on powertrain specs for the electric 718, with rumors suggesting it could borrow the Macan EV’s battery floor-style architecture. Another rumor claimed the car could run its battery pack in a mid-engine format to keep weight in a similar place, similar to the Pininfarina Battista.
Either way, rumors suggest Porsche isn’t having an easy time developing the 718 EV. A December report from Automobilwoche, the German arm of Automotive News Europe, claimed development of the electric 718 was “well behind schedule,” with Porsche “constantly requesting adjustments” from its battery supplier, Valmet Automotive. Another report from the same publication claims the car will now debut in 2027—roughly two years later than planned.
Can the Electric 718 Be Successful?
Let’s get this straight: While Porsche should simply cancel the electric 718, it won’t. Development is already too far along, and corporations this large move at a snail’s pace. Important decisions like this are made years in advance. The gas-powered car is reportedly set to end production within the month. There’s no going back now.
I’m no development executive, but I have driven a bunch of cars—including a few truly fun EVs. In my mind, two things might make the 718 work:
1. Fake Gear Shifts and Engine Sounds
These are the gimmicks I’ll defend with my life. Sure, it’s an inauthentic experience. And it sounds like a joke on paper. But after driving the Hyundai Ioniq 5 N—the car that shepherded this tech to production—it’s clear this is the path forward to convincing enthusiasts. Make the car drive like a gas car, and people who enjoy driving will flock to it. It’s the sole reason why I’d take the Hyundai over any EV from Porsche right now.
2. Don’t Make It Stupidly Expensive
When cars go from gas-powered to electric, the price tag always seems to jump. It makes sense, considering the new platform and all the new tech that needs to be developed. Right now, the 718 Cayman starts at $74,795. If Porsche could somehow keep the EV under 80 grand, the company might not fully alienate its buyer base.
Sadly, I don’t see either of these things happening for the electric 718. Development driver Lars Kern outright confirmed to Australian media in 2024 that Porsche wouldn’t explore adding simulated gear shifts, saying, “The electric engine is better than an ICE [internal combustion engine], so we figured there's no reason to simulate what has been in the past.”
As for pricing, we simply have to look at the Macan. The gas-powered model starts at a reasonable $64,895. The cheapest EV, meanwhile, carries an MSRP of $77,295. Going electric nets you 94 extra horsepower, but you lose all-wheel drive. If you want all four wheels driven in the EV, you’ll be paying at least $80,795. By this same logic, we should expect the electric 718 to start in the high $80,000 range, pushing it further out of reach.
I’m sure the electric 718 will be incredible to drive. The Taycan is one of the best EVs to wheel, after all, so a smaller, two-seat equivalent should be even more fun. But without the fake gear shifts or a reasonable price tag, I’m not sure why anyone would buy it over, say, a Lotus Emira or a Chevy Corvette. Or even just a used 718.
