It appears that the mid-engine Porsche Boxster and Cayman will go fully electric by 2025. Not only that – according to Autocar, the duo will be available exclusively as EVs, and the platform could even go on to underpin other models from the Audi and Lamborghini families.
Despite being a brand that’s synonymous with driving purity, Porsche’s electric ambitions align with its industry peers. The automaker expects its EVs to account for 50% of global sales by 2025, and 80% in 2030. The iconic 911 will also go electric, as will the Macan and Cayenne SUVs.
The 718 EVs are to remain as entry-level sports cars, using a novel battery arrangement dubbed the ‘e-core’ layout. Looking at the Mission R, the battery pack (by far the single heaviest element in an EV) sits between the driver and the rear axle (mimicking a mid-engine balance), instead of the traditional skateboard layout with underfloor batteries.
Porsche technical chief Michael Steiner explained that the ‘unusual’ configuration helps create the lowest seating position and centre of gravity possible. “It’s the same reason why a lot of super-sports cars today have a mid-engine design, with the engine behind the driver.”
“With today’s battery cell technology, the batteries are the biggest and heaviest part of the car – and this could be true for the next decade or so – so we developed what we call the e-core battery design. Packaging-wise and centre of gravity-wise, it’s more or less a copy of a mid-engine design,” he added.
Another reason for this ‘mid-engine’ battery design is to keep the cells within the central crash structure of the car for safety reasons. “This is not only driven by technology. Often, the main direction comes from what we expect the market would favour, and then we try to develop the technology in that direction,” Steiner noted.
When asked if there was customer acceptance for an electric Porsche with performance levels similar to the 718 Cayman, he said: “I would say yes, but this needs weight reduction. If you drive and push a real sports car on the race track, you would still feel this [weight]. You might not notice it on the highway, but a real sports car has to perform on the race track.” The size and dimensions of the new two-seaters will also be similar to current models.
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Habeslah Porsche!