Reports suggest Porsche may abandon plans to make the 718 an EV

Posted: February 3, 2026 Updated:February 4, 2026

According to a report by Bloomberg on February 3, 2026, Porsche AG may stop offering the fully electric versions of the 718 Boxster and 718 Cayman that were expected to be released in the future... Wait, what's that? Really?

By the way, the source of this rumor that "the 718EV may not be released" is said to be "people familiar with the matter."

Hmm, that seems suspicious.

But this time, the news was not from a media outlet that just randomly writes about any rumor that comes up, but from Bloomberg. And when I watched the news footage, it seemed pretty reliable.

Of course, the high level of credibility mentioned here simply means that "such talk is probably actually happening within Porsche AG," and does not mean that we can be certain that "a fully electric 718 will not be released."

So, according to a source (apparently speaking on condition of anonymity), Michael Leiters, who will take over as CEO of Porsche AG from January 1, 2026, may discontinue the planned 718 EV series due to delays in the development of the 718 EV and rising costs.

Production of the gasoline-powered 718 has already ended in 2025, and the company is now waiting for the arrival of a new EV 718. According to sources, the plan was to reintroduce the car to the market as an EV model as early as 2026.

But what happens if the EV 718 doesn't come out?

But they've already spent a huge amount of money developing the 718EV, so is it possible that they'll end up never releasing it at all?

"Expenses incurred so far > Further development costs/expenses to bring it from the current development stage to sales + the hypothetical future if EV sales are not very good."

If that's the case, then, well, it's possible that they'll decide right away that they're not going to make the 718 an EV after all...

I wonder. No matter how much I think about it, I still feel like I'll release it at least once.

According to Bloomberg's news footage, Porsche's new CEO is known to be a big fan of hybrids, so it's likely that Porsche will place more emphasis on hybrids.

However, if a new 718 were to be developed now as a plug-in hybrid model rather than a full EV, it would require a different base from conventional vehicles, which would likely delay development by several more years, and in the worst case scenario, the development costs could end up being higher than if the company continued with the EV, making it difficult to switch to a hybrid now.

Porsche is currently facing various problems, including tariffs imposed by the United States and the collapse of the Chinese market, and its stock price has fallen to half its value since its IPO.

Furthermore, at a briefing for analysts, Porsche's CFO reportedly said, "It could take several years to return to double-digit profit margins," so it seems unlikely that Porsche will be able to enjoy peace and quiet any time soon.

It is possible that Porsche will move towards a more luxury line-up and reduce sales volume in the future, but in order to increase profit margins, it still needs scale, so it seems reasonable that they would decide that it would be better to launch the popular 718 now rather than adopt a strategy of reducing sales volume.

A Porsche spokesperson declined to comment on the report.

I wonder what will happen.

If you are having trouble viewing Bloomberg news footage,From here..

Source:
◆(News Video) Porsche Mulls Cutting Electric Sports Cars to Rein in Budget
◆Porsche Mulls Cutting Electric Sports Cars to Rein In Budget
◆Porsche's New CEO Might Bury The 718 EVs Before They Even Launch

Rika (911supercars.com)

I'm Rika, the author of this article. Since I got my hands on a Porsche 911, I've been completely hooked on Porsches and I can't stop loving them, so I started this blog. My favorite cars are the 911 Carrera (2/991), 911 Carrera Cabriolet & 911 Carrera T (1/992), GT3 (1/997) and 718 Cayman GT4 RS.

911Supercars in the article

-Porsche: Porsche
-Porsche Cayman, Porsche Boxster

カート好きの還暦 says:

2026年2月3日 at 9:57 PM

Good evening!

If true, that's good news for Porsche, its shareholders and its customers.
There have been a series of cancellations of PHEVs from Ferrari and Lamborghini. Whether or not you get a refund depends on the case, but even if you throw away your deposit, the loss is small. In stock terms, people who can't cut their losses will get stuck in a quagmire.
If Porsche were to release even a small number of 718 EVs, it would incur costs indefinitely.

I think Michael's strong preference for hybrid vehicles comes from the fact that he took measures to address the issue of the Artura, which was causing controversy due to a defect, by halting shipments, but I don't think he is particularly fond of hybrid vehicles, especially PHEVs.

Reply
- Rika (911supercars.com) says:
  
  2026年2月4日 at 9:49 AM
  
  60th birthday who likes carts
  It would take a very courageous decision to cut losses at this point... I'm nervous about this being such a sudden and difficult decision for the new CEO.
  
  Yes, it seems that he is good at handling hybrid models, not that he likes them.
  
  I've been interested in the EV 718 and wanted to see and drive one, so if it never makes it onto the market, that would be sad in itself, but it could also be a decision that will have a major impact on Porsche's future, so either way, I hope it's a good decision for Porsche going forward.
  
  With the 718 ICE being revived and on sale for a while, it might be a good idea to release the 718EV, which has been made to this extent, as a limited edition car.
  
  Reply
  - カート好きの還暦 says:
    
    2026年2月4日 at 2:03 PM
    
    As you say, even if they release a 718 EV, it would be better if it was a limited edition model.
    If a battery problem were to cause a fire or a recall in the US, it would cost billions of dollars for a mass-produced car. Garage storage and indoor parking would also be prohibited.
    
    Japanese dealers also assert that the biggest factor in Porsche's current predicament is undoubtedly the EV. It's better to cut your losses on EVs.
    
    Reply
    - Rika (911supercars.com) says:
      
      2026年2月4日 at 8:03 PM
      
      60th birthday who likes carts
      It's true that if it were just a recall it would be one thing, but if it were to cause a fire it could be fatal.
      
      I guess now is the time to cut my losses... I'm not sure if I want to know what Porsche's decision will be about this 718... But I still want to know what will happen (lol).
      
      Reply
      - カート好きの還暦 says:
        
        2026年2月5日 at 9:34 AM
        
        I think there are many people who would like to try the EV718 at least once, but whether they will buy it is another matter. It cannot be compared to the EV Macan.
        Fire recalls are common not only for EVs but also for PHEVs.
        Other examples include BMWs, diesel cars with high mileage (a friend's X3 burned down on New Year's Day), and gasoline B48 engine cars like the Supra (I also had one). Note that diesels are compatible with any manufacturer.
      - Rika (911supercars.com) says:
        
        2026年2月6日 at 10:50 AM
        
        60th birthday who likes carts
        That's right. I'd like to ride it once, but whether I'll buy it is another matter. That's exactly it. And I think there are many people like that. Therefore, it would be better to sell it as a limited edition car at a high price so that it can reach those who really want it, and Porsche will not incur a loss (as expected) ^^
        
        Your friend's X3 burned down? That must be terrible...that's a scary story.
Kaz amigo says:

2026年2月4日 at 2:16 AM

Given the current difficult financial situation, it seems likely that the release of the EV will be postponed. It also depends on how far along the development stage is.
Should we just bring back the gasoline model?
They may be considering installing a hybrid system like the 911.

Reply
- Rika (911supercars.com) says:
  
  2026年2月4日 at 9:49 AM
  
  Kaz amigo
  If EV development is to be halted (or abandoned), it seems likely that the first step will be to revive ICE models, but I wonder what will happen?
  
  It seems likely that a hybrid model of the 911 will definitely be developed and released (or will have to be released).
  
  Reply
ラファエル says:

2026年2月4日 at 8:00 AM

Thank you for your valuable information as always! So, are you going to stop using 718?! That's my first impression.
The new 718 is a full EV, then the top-end is ICE, then even the lower-end models are ICE, so I thought they might not end up with no EV, but the reporter said, "A hybrid would have to be developed from scratch again, which would take time and money." Also, it's been a hot topic, but even though production has ended, the 718 configurator is still available, isn't it?

Reply
- Rika (911supercars.com) says:
  
  2026年2月4日 at 9:50 AM
  
  Mr. Raphael
  Hello. The news anchor was also wondering about the fact that the configurator (ICE718) is still available even though production has ended.
  
  This is probably because there is still stock available, but it has been said that there will be no production of models after 2026 (at this time)... In any case, I think that right now, various departments within Porsche are assuming, calculating, discussing, and considering various things.
  
  Whatever the decision, I hope it's a good one for the future of Porsche!
  
  Reply

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