Porsche goes for purely electric fun machine
Electric cars can be found in almost all segments nowadays, but there are no real electric fun machines yet. That will change, because the successor to the Porsche 718 will be fully electric.
There are a lot of EVs that you can really have a lot of fun with. Porsche’s own Taycan is an excellent example of this, but Tesla’s Performance models and – slightly more modestly – the Mini Electric have also given us a big grin. Nevertheless, so far it has always been quite practical models, with a hatchback, sedan or SUV shape. By ‘a real fun machine’ we mean a car that has been made for maximum driving pleasure from the first stroke of the pen, preferably in the form of a coupe or roadster.
Real electric fun machine
Porsche is one of the first manufacturers to take the plunge, making the successors to the current 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman fully electric.
We don’t know if the model name 718 will remain. It is clear that the two are in many ways similar to the current 718. Spy images and the earlier Mission R Concept already show that the body shape, for example, remains more or less the same. The two-seater passenger compartment will soon be located almost exactly in the middle of the compact and low car. The basic shape of the nose and butt also remains recognizable, but is tightened compared to previous generations of the Boxster and Cayman. Porsche eagerly uses the style established with the electric Taycan. Expect similar flattened headlights and a rear with more horizontal elements and probably one large, continuous LED bar as a taillight.
Character
Under the skin, the electric 718 successor rests on the PPE platform. This stands for Premium Platform Electric and is a modular basis that Audi will also use. Don’t be afraid: this means that the electric fun Porsches are not immediately identical to the first Audi SUV. It seems that Porsche uses an extremely unusual layout, in which the battery pack is not incorporated in the floor of the car. Instead, the battery is located where the engine now sits: behind the seats and in front of the rear axle.
This was also the case with concept harbingers Mission R and 718 Cayman GT4 e-Performance. The advantage of this solution is that the bottom is thinner, so that the seats can be placed lower in the car and the body can also remain nice and low. Moreover, this layout undoubtedly provides a unique driving behavior and some character, properties that an electric car often lacks. The battery pack itself measures 80 kWh in the concept cars and can be pumped up to 340 kW thanks to a 900-volt system. Certainly that format sounds realistic.
Not hindered by the 911
You can also count on innovations when it comes to electric motors. The two-speed gearbox of the Taycan is an example of this, but ingenious cooling systems can also be considered with this extra sporty EV. The 718 has never been the horsepower topper at Porsche, so we do not count on the 1,088 hp of the Mission R. At the same time, it is not the intention that the first ID.3 drives this new Porsche off the road, so there is undoubtedly more than enough power. In addition, the range includes several versions, with four or perhaps even rear-wheel drive. The electric ‘718’ has much less nuisance from the 911 than the ‘old’ 718.
911 not electric for the time being
The Boxster and Cayman may only exceptionally surpass the icon so far, but as an EV it is suddenly a completely different car and it may just be that a ‘718’ is often faster than a 911. Now that we mention it: the 911 is the only Porsche in the range that will not become electric for the time being. That would do too much violence to this tradition-steeped model, Porsche believes. The Germans also embrace the EV with enthusiasm. In addition to the already well-known Taycan and the 718 successor to be launched around 2024, we expect, for example, an electric Macan and a larger electric SUV.
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– Thanks for information from Autoweek.nl