Porsche drops plans to bring back combustion-engined Boxster and Cayman
Porsche has confirmed that the next-generation 718 Boxster and Cayman will be all-electric. There are no longer plans to bring back combustion-engined versions, although the company reconsidered the possibility as part of its strategy changes.
The new 718 will be electric
Production of the current combustion-engined 718 ended in October 2025. Under Porsche's new strategy, the next Boxster and Cayman will come to market as electric cars, with 2028 expected to be their first full year of production.
Porsche has yet to release the final technical specifications for the new 718 models, but they will use an electric architecture specifically adapted for sports cars.
Combustion engines will remain in other models
At the same time, Porsche's overall strategy has become more technology-neutral. The company will continue developing combustion engines and plug-in hybrids alongside electric cars.
For example, the new smaller SUV that will join the range alongside the Macan will offer both combustion and plug-in hybrid powertrains. Porsche has no plans to make the 911 fully electric either.
The 718 will therefore remain an exception: a model family whose next generation will go fully electric.
Reversing course would have been too expensive
Bringing back a combustion-engined 718 would have required significant changes, as the next-generation car was developed from the outset for an electric powertrain.
Meanwhile, Porsche is focusing on reducing costs, cutting the number of model variants and prioritising higher-margin cars. Developing a new petrol-engined 718 would have conflicted with that strategy.
For buyers, the decision means that Porsche's compact mid-engined sports car will remain, but its character will change fundamentally. The success of the Boxster and Cayman now depends on whether Porsche can bring the electric car's weight, steering feel and handling to the standard that buyers of previous 718 models expect.
