Porsche says electric 718 due in 2027

Porsche has put a date back on one of its most uncertain product plans. CEO Michael Leiters said the company still intends to launch the all-electric 718 Boxster and Cayman family, with CarExpert reporting the cars remain due in 2027. (paultan.org) That matters because the 718 program had spent much of the past year in limbo. Reports in February said Porsche was weighing whether to scrap the electric sports cars after delays and cost overruns, even as the company had previously targeted a 2025 on-sale timing. (electrek.co) Leiters, in remarks reported from an interview with Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung, moved to settle at least part of that question this week. (paultan.org) He said Porsche had decided to build the electric 718 because it was “the best solution economically” and would be “a fantastic car.” ### What exactly did Michael Leiters confirm? (paultan.org) Michael Leiters confirmed the electric 718 is still going ahead. In coverage of his interview, he said Porsche had concluded it would build the model, ending months of speculation that the project could be canceled. CarExpert said that confirmation applies to the next-generation 718 Boxster and Cayman, which are planned as all-electric models and are now due in 2027. (carexpert.com.au) ### Why was there so much doubt around the 718? February 2 was when CarExpert reported that Porsche’s new management was considering axing the electric 718 twins because of delays and budget blowouts. (electrek.co) That report followed a period in which Porsche’s broader electrification plans had already come under heavier scrutiny. The 2025 target had also slipped. Car and Driver, as cited in search results, said Porsche had originally expected the EV 718 to go on sale in 2025, but the model failed to arrive on that timetable. (electrek.co) ### Where does the Taycan fit in now? The Taycan is staying in Porsche’s lineup for now. Leiters said Porsche has “no plans to discontinue the Taycan in the short term,” according to Road & Track coverage carried by Yahoo Autos. (paultan.org) CarExpert reported that survival comes with a narrower range. The Taycan will remain available, but with fewer variants than before. (carexpert.com.au) ### Is Porsche saying anything about gasoline versions of the 718? Porsche’s latest public comments were specific about the electric 718, not a gasoline successor. Road & Track said Leiters did not use the interview to reaffirm the separate combustion-engine path that had been discussed less than a year earlier. (aol.com) That leaves the confirmed next step centered on the EV. CarExpert’s report says the electric Boxster and Cayman remain due in 2027, while other outlets said the cars could be revealed before then as development continues. (autos.yahoo.com) ### What should readers watch next? (paultan.org) The next milestone is 2027, the date CarExpert reported for the electric 718’s arrival. Porsche has not yet published full specifications, pricing, or a launch calendar for the new Boxster and Cayman. Leiters’ other near-term product signal was the Taycan. Porsche plans to keep the four-door EV in the range in the short term, but with fewer variants available. (autos.yahoo.com) (paultan.org)