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Introduced in 1996, the 718 was the Porsche that proved there was an appetite among its deep-pocketed client base for an entry-level, mid-engine sports car. No, it’s never been quite as powerful as the iconic 911, but the open-top Boxster<\/a> and hard-top Cayman<\/a> are just as fun to drive. We’d even named both GT4 versions of the coupe as two of our favorite performance vehicles<\/a> of the century.<\/p>\n Porsche 982 718 Cayman GT4<\/p>\n This stature is why Porsche began testing out a battery-powered 718<\/a> earlier the decade, back when it looked like the entire industry was headed toward all electric. A lot has changed since then, which is the main reason why the fate of the 718 EV\u2014at one point looking like it would debut this year\u2014has seemed up in the air. Last fall, months after production of the gas-powered 718 ended<\/a>, Porsche said the more potent version of the next-gen car would feature internal combustion engines<\/a>. Then, in February, reports started circulating that the company might pull the plug on an EV version<\/a> altogether.<\/p>\n But Leiters says there’s no reason to wonder if the electric 718 will make it to production or not. In an interview with the German newspaper <\/a>Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung<\/a>, the executive said Porsche “came to the conclusion that we will build the [EV]\u2014because it is the best solution economically and will be a fantastic car.” That’s not the only battery-powered model the company remains committed to. Leiters also said the automaker has “no plans to discontinue the Taycan in the short term.” This directly contradicts another German newspaper report, this one from Bild, that claimed the brand’s first EV could be on the chopping block<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 718 EV may remain in the works, but it’s unclear if the same can be said about the high-performance gas versions, which Leiters made no mention of in the interview. Those models were also reported to be at risk, according to Bild. If that part of the paper’s article turns out to be true, the 718 really might be going all electric after all.<\/p>\n Best of Robb Report<\/p>\n Sign up for RobbReports’s Newsletter<\/a>. For the latest news, follow us on Facebook<\/a>, Twitter<\/a>, and Instagram<\/a>.<\/p>\n![\"Porsche](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/germany\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/https:\/\/media.zenfs.com\/en\/robb_report_967\/dec20e62a42cb64f08de038fc2d01d52.jpeg\"\/)
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