The new entry-level Porsche cars coming to replace the current 718 Boxster and Cayman models won’t be fully electric as originally expected, multiple sources claim. The company will most likely offer a hybrid alternative based on the same hardware as the 911 GTS.
Porsche CEO Oliver Blume admitted in a recent interview that releasing a fully electric generation of the compact roadster and its coupe counterpart would be tone-deaf in the changing EV market of today. He agreed that gas-powered variants would also need to be made available, but declined any further comment.
The problem is, the 2.0-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine currently powering the Boxster and Cayman lineups cannot be made compatible with the Euro-7 emission standards entering force in 2026. Rumors are now coming in that the company found it easiest to equip the compact cars with the same T-Hybrid powertrain as its 911 GTS. It features a fairly compact flat-six engine and should be a better fit in an entry-level car compared to other possible alternatives, like the twin-turbo flat-six powering the 911 Carrera.
If these rumors are true, though, such a decision would push the affordable lineup upmarket. The new base-spec Boxster will be considered a more or less direct successor of the expensive Boxster Spyder RS. In turn, the new Cayman will start where the extreme Cayman GT4 RS left off.
The T-Hybrid system mentioned above uses a six-cylinder engine and an electric motor integrated into an eight-speed PDK transmission to deliver 541 PS (533 hp / 398 kW) and 610 Nm (450 lb-ft) of torque to the wheels. That’s 41 PS (40 hp / 30 kW) and 160 Nm (118 lb-ft) more than the best 718-series Porsches ever had.
Back in September, Porsche unveiled an even more extreme variant of the T-Hybrid system, tuned to deliver 711 PS (701 hp / 523 kW) and 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) of torque. It debuted in the facelifted 911 Turbo S coupe and convertible lineup.
