The Porsche 718 Will Sell Alongside Its 718 EV Replacement, At Least for Now
As more automakers begin to set electrification plans in stone, it means losing beloved internal combustion engine (ICE) models. But it’s not their fault; governments worldwide are starting to ban fossil-fuel-burning vehicles. Thus, electric-only offerings are taking over traditional nameplates to prepare for the upcoming changes. On the other hand, Porsche is one of few brands left providing a single model with either plug-in propulsion or a traditional ICE powerplant. For now, at least, the Porsche 718 will stand beside the 718 EV in the company’s lineup.
The 718 EV set to replace the gasoline-only Porsche 718
At Porsche’s first investor conference of the year, company CEO Oliver Blume touted the brand’s progress toward electrification. Set to debut in 2025, the Porsche 718 EV will serve as an entry-level electric sports car. The plug-in Porsche will join the popular four-door Taycan and the delayed compact crossover Macan EV.
While the focus is placed on the company’s market share of the EV world, their ICE offerings aren’t falling by the wayside. Despite ambitions to be all-electric by the “middle of the decade,” Porsche won’t say goodbye to the ICE Porsche 718 yet. Blume said they will launch the 2025 Porsche 718 EV “in parallel to the ICE version,” CarScoops reports. However, it’s a short-lived automotive pleasure. Blume added, “In the medium run, the 718 will then be exclusively available as an all-electric model.”
What’s the 2023 Porsche 718 Cayman like?
With a turbocharged 2.0-liter flat-four, the base 718 wades into the sports car battle with 300 horsepower. The 718 Cayman T also has the turbo-four. The S variant gains half a liter and 50 horsepower, but the Cayman GTS is stocked with the full, fat 4.0-liter flat-six. Porsche’s bigger engine comes in varying degrees of grunt, in 394, 414, and 493-horsepower configurations.
Regardless of engine choice, each 718 Cayman comes standard with a welcome six-speed manual transmission. But a lightning-fast seven-speed dual-clutch auto and steering wheel-mounted paddle shifters are available. It may not be able to traverse a racetrack as quickly as its big brother 911, but the 718’s handling and stability are equally stunning.
How does the 718 EV compare?
Not much is known about the 2025 Porsche 718 EV’s performance figures. Yet, Car and Driver says it’ll use the same 800-volt Taycan architecture for a DC fast-charge rate of up to 270 kWh. Therefore, the 718 EV will at least be quick to replenish with electricity and have a 250-mile driving range.
How long will the Porsche 718 be sold with the 718 EV?
Porsche’s CEO didn’t clarify when the ICE 718 will be nixed for its EV replacement. With the company looking to sell 80% electric vehicles by the decade’s end, some ICE models will have to go. But some company offerings aren’t as controversial as others when discussing plug-in power.
The fact that the Porsche 718 and 718 will be sold together gives potential customers a unique opportunity to experience exactly how electrical power changes a car’s dynamics. Toyota is big on offering electric and ICE powertrains in the same exact car. However, those are mass-market models. Sports cars don’t provide the same opportunity, and Porsche is ahead of the pack in managing the transition to EVs. After all, at some point, the company will have to deal with potential fallout over an all-electric 911.
