Porsche is reportedly considering scrapping its electric vehicle (EV) plans for the upcoming 718 Boxster and Cayman, as costs mount and development delays continue.
Petrol-heads will rejoice, but according to a recent Bloomberg report, Porsche’s new CEO Michal Leiters is thinking about cancelling the electric models before they even hit the market. It’s understood a decision may be made due to rising expenses and delays with the new models.
The story behind the electric 718 goes deeper, with initial plans to have a fully electric lineup, and then it was understood Porsche was going to offer petrol power for the top models (such as the RS), and then more recently it was reported Porsche would offer both electric and petrol options across the board.
Reasons for these backflips include slowing sales in China, the biggest auto market in the world, and the rising costs of developing such vehicles. Porsche’s global sales in 2025 dropped by around 10 per cent, in part caused by production stopping for the outgoing 718 models.
This isn’t the first time Porsche is changing its focus on EVs. It recently announced it would be offering a combustion-powered option for the new Macan, after it went full electric for the latest generation model. It’s unclear if it will be called Macan or simply adopt a new name, but a similarly-sized petrol SUV is set to arrive before 2028. Back in September 2025, then CEO Oliver Blume said:
“We have seen a clear drop in demand for exclusive battery-electric cars, and we are taking that into account. That’s why we are pushing back development of selected fully electric models.”
Porsche is getting ready to launch a fully electric version of the Cayenne this year, with production kicking off in the last few days. It features a 113kWh battery offering a range of 600km, with power output reaching 850kW (1156hp). Needless to say, it is the most powerful Cayenne ever.
In Australia, Porsche sales dropped by an alarming 27 per cent according to VFACTS figures, with all models contributing to the decline. The biggest losers were the 718 – given production stopped – but even the Taycan fell by 37.6 per cent. Even the Macan fell by 34 per cent, although in part due to the transition over to the new model.
Will Porsche continue with EV plans for the 718? We’ll have to wait and see. Let us know what you think in the comments below.
