Electric Porsche 718 under threat, Audi TT future also at risk
An electric sports car was meant to be the logical next step. Instead, reality proved harsher and far more expensive. Porsche’s management is now seriously weighing whether the electric 718 Boxster and Cayman will ever reach production. The shadow of that decision stretches well beyond Stuttgart, because the same platform was meant to underpin the rebirth of the Audi TT.
The issue surfaced at a moment when the sports car world is trying to electrify while still making money. Those two ambitions do not always move in step.
A new boss, a colder look at the numbers
After taking office, Porsche chief executive Michael Leiters launched a thorough internal review. Sales in China are sliding and profitability is under pressure across the range. According to the German business daily Handelsblatt, the electric 718 Boxster and Cayman were among the projects pushed into the spotlight.
Development costs are climbing sharply. Electric sports car technology demands investment that may not pay back when volumes remain limited. Leiters reportedly questioned whether emotionally driven projects still make sense in the current economic climate.
Audi TT hangs on Porsche’s decision
The problem does not stop with Porsche. The electric platform developed for the 718 models was also intended to serve as the basis for a new Audi flagship. That idea took shape in the Audi Concept C, and industry chatter suggested Audi planned to revive the TT name.
If Porsche cancels the electric 718 programme, Audi faces an awkward choice. Either abandon the project entirely or buy the platform outright from Porsche and continue development alone. The latter would reportedly require a nine figure investment, turning any notion of cost saving into a purely theoretical exercise.
China cools, tariffs bite
Porsche’s position weakened further as demand for the Porsche Taycan cooled in China. The electric flagship struggled to find buyers, prompting Porsche to slash its Chinese sales forecast for 2026. Expectations dropped from 100,000 cars to just 30,000 to 40,000 units. The company also reduced its dealer network in the country by roughly a third.
Additional pressure came from US import tariffs, squeezing margins for European manufacturers even further. The electric sports car now competes not only with technology and tradition, but also with geopolitics.
Reality over romance
The possible cancellation of the electric 718 Boxster and Cayman underlines a broader truth. Even prestigious sports car brands cannot ignore economic reality. The market is moving towards electrification, but customers are not prepared to pay any price for it.
If Porsche hits the brakes, the signal will echo across the entire Volkswagen Group. Emotion still sells, but only when it fits within a budget that makes sense.
