The Breakdown
- Porsche’s new CEO is reportedly considering killing the 718 Boxster and Cayman projects.
- The project is suffering from rising costs and development delays.
- Porsche already confirmed there will be a new, combustion-powered 718.
Bad news (or good news, depending on who you are): Porsche might have to kill its electric 718 Cayman and Boxster projects. The automaker has a new CEO who took over on January 1, 2026, and he’s reportedly considering suspending development of the two sports cars.
According to Bloomberg, "people familiar with the matter" told the publication that the electric 718’s rising costs and mounting development delays are hamstringing the project. Porsche ended previous-generation 718 production in October, with plans to roll out the EVs later this year.
Murmurings of potential development issues arose in December 2024, when a report quoted an engineer who said the automaker was "well behind schedule" with the vehicle. Another report surfaced last May alleging Porsche had to pause development due to Northvolt’s bankruptcy.
Then, in September, the automaker confirmed that the next-generation 718 would continue to offer internal combustion engine power. These would sit at the top of the model lineup, supposedly above the electric versions that might not happen now.
We reached out to Porsche, but the automaker refused to comment on the story.
Motor1’s Take: We wouldn’t be surprised if Porsche’s new boss kills the electric 718. The automaker is facing significant sales declines in China and new tariffs in the United States, two of its top three markets.
Continuing to invest in costly, complex electric sports cars that buyers likely don’t want makes little sense for Porsche amid such financial uncertainty. The company’s investors booted Oliver Blume for the brand’s struggling performance and tasked Michael Leiters with revitalizing it. We bet Porsche’s lineup will do just fine without the electric 718s.
