With pure electric drivetrains becoming more and more mainstream, it’s almost time for electric vehicles (EVs) to start branching out into niche categories, such as the affordable-ish convertible.
The next-generation Porsche 718 Boxster EV is set to be one of the first such vehicles on the scene.
This isn’t the first time the exterior of the Boxster EV has been photographed ahead of its official unveiling, but today’s photos give us our first detailed look at the car’s cabin and its smattering of displays.
Thanks to covers and missing trim pieces we aren’t able to discern the styling of the dashboard, but we can see the car’s large, possibly curved, instrumentation display. Ahead of this display is a round steering wheel with physical buttons on the spokes.
The instrumentation panel shows this prototype has 53 per cent battery charge remaining, and an estimated range of 125km.
While doubling the number might be indicative of this vehicle’s normal driving range, it’s important to remember this car was photographed on and around number the Nurburgring Nordschleife. Any pedal-to-the-metal laps on the famed circuit will significantly lower the car’s range estimate.
In the centre of the dash is a wide touchscreen, underneath which is a row of five piano key-style buttons, a set of rectangular air vents, and a pair of USB-C ports.
Along the centre tunnel is a piano black panel housing readouts for the climate control system along with a rotary dial, four flick switches, and a cluster of touch-capacitive buttons. Behind the air conditioning system is a large paddle to operate the transmission.
These latest photos don’t reveal anything new about the Boxster EV’s exterior, and the overall shape seems to be a gentle evolution of today’s third-generation Boxster.
Key details, such as the shape of the headlights, front air intakes, and tail-lights are all disguised with temporary pieces of plastic. We expect the headlights to be similar to the type used on the revised Taycan, while a full-width lighting bar at the rear would be on trend.
We understand the square plastic panel on the rear bumper, just below the tail-lights, hides the car’s charging port.
In order to keep the car’s mid-engine handling profile, as well as allow the driver and passenger to sit as close to the ground as possible, the Boxster EV is said to have its batteries mounted in a vertical stack between the seats and boot.
Details about the Boxster EV’s drivetrain have yet to be revealed, but there’s a possibility it will eschew the dual-motor all-wheel drive layout favoured by high-performance EVs thus far.
That said, the 2021 Mission R concept had 320kW motor up front, and a 480kW motor at the rear delivering a total of 800kW in qualifying mode or 500kW in race mode.
Then there was the 2022 718 Cayman GT4 ePerformance prototype, which also had a dual-motor system, this time cranking out 735kW in its most powerful mode, or a more sedate 450kW for 30 minutes of flat-out driving.
Both vehicles had an oil cooling system for the motors and battery pack so that performance wouldn’t taper during prolonged stints on track.
Like the upcoming Macan EV, Porsche will continue to offer the existing petrol-powered 718 Boxster model alongside its EV relative.
MORE: Everything Porsche 718
