VW Group owned carmaker Porsche is reviewing whether to abandon electric versions of its 718 Boxster and Cayman as budget pressures mount and development delays persist.
According to Bloomberg, sources said new CEO Michael Leiters, who replaced Oliver Blume on 1 January, is reassessing the programme after expenses surged following the company’s earlier push into electric vehicles (EVs).
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The petrol-powered Boxster and Cayman, discontinued in 2025, had ranked among Porsche’s lower-priced models, with entry prices around €70,000 ($82,754).
When contacted by Just Auto for comment, a Porsche spokesperson said the company “does not comment on speculation”.
The rethink comes as the group grapples with softer demand in China, the financial burden of reversing parts of its EV strategy and technical hurdles linked to studying a plug-in hybrid alternative for the line.
Such a move would require different vehicle platforms and could postpone the relaunch by several years.
Sources said a lengthy delay risk debuting technology that could already appear outdated at a time when Porsche needs to stimulate interest in new models.
Leiters has not yet reached a conclusion and is weighing spending limits against worries over underused factories after lower-than-expected EV sales.
The uncertainty around the 718 forms part of a broader strategic reset after Porsche lowered its outlook four times last year and shifted focus back towards combustion engines and hybrids – a downturn that also hit parent Volkswagen.
The company has warned that its EV course correction could cut operating profit by up to €1.8bn in 2025 and has highlighted the impact of US import tariffs in its largest single market.
Porsche had planned to bring back the 718 Boxster and Cayman as electric cars as early as 2026 after ending combustion-engine production last year.
In their final full year on sale in 2024, deliveries rose 15% to 23,670 vehicles.
According to the report, Leiters is also expected to seek additional cost reductions in talks with labour representatives as the company works to improve performance following its exit from Germany’s DAX index.
