Porsche 718 EV Keeps Mid-Engine Feel with Rear Battery

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes · Last updated: 8 October 2026

Porsche’s forthcoming 718 EV continues the Boxster and Cayman lineage but replaces the underfloor skateboard battery with a rear-mounted E-Core pack located just aft of the passenger compartment. That E-Core battery layout is meant to preserve the low seating position and the mid-engined balance that defined the gas 718s, leaving 55.2 percent of the weight over the rear axle in the prototype we rode. Porsche confirmed at its Capital Markets Day that the 718 EV is due in 2027, and an 800-volt electrical architecture will support rapid charging. A passenger ride at Porsche’s Weissach test track suggested the package keeps the handling character owners expect.

Why Porsche put the battery behind the seats

Porsche’s E-Core architecture places the traction battery where the internal‑combustion engine used to sit: directly behind the occupants. The company frames this as a packaging choice to keep the cockpit low and to retain the 718’s mid‑engine proportions rather than adopting the common skateboard arrangement that tucks cells beneath the floor.

That decision changes the car’s mass distribution relative to a conventional EV. Porsche provided a direct comparison: the gas 718 had 59.8 percent of its mass over the rear axle, while the electric prototype measured 55.2 percent. The figure is lower than the burn‑out 718’s but still firmly rear‑biased, and Porsche says the battery is structurally integrated into the chassis to maintain rigidity.

Physically shifting the battery rearward also frees the floor under the cabin, which is one reason the 718 EV’s seating position stays low and the car’s proportions remain close to the combustion model. The approach is a deliberate attempt to preserve the occupational experience that defined the Boxster and Cayman lines.

How the prototype felt at Weissach

Car and Driver rode as a passenger in a lightly camouflaged prototype around Porsche’s Weissach test track and reported handling that recalls a mid‑engine sports car more than a typical EV. From the low seating position you can feel the car rotate into a corner; the prototype we rode was rear‑drive and appeared willing to change direction without excessive understeer.

The ride remained composed over curbs and through rapid transitions, with suspension compliance that buffers harsh inputs. Porsche engineers told the ride‑along driver they were using an E-Shift mode to simulate gearchanges and engine sound — a software layer that provides auditory and tactile reference points that drivers on track found useful.

Because this was a passenger evaluation rather than a timed test, Porsche declined to provide power, range, or final curb weight numbers. Still, the subjective impression from Weissach was that the rear‑mounted battery and chassis calibration largely preserved the 718’s agility despite the EV hardware.

What Porsche has confirmed about hardware and software

Porsche disclosed three concrete technical points: the E-Core battery location, the inclusion of E-Shift (software that simulates gear changes and engine cues), and an 800-volt electrical architecture to enable high-speed charging. The E-Shift system is the same driving‑feel feature introduced on the Taycan and adapted for the 718 EV.

The automaker has also said the battery structure is designed for repeatable performance, implying thermal management and power delivery tuned for track use. Porsche did not publish cell chemistry, usable capacity, or target charging rates in kilowatts, so those operational specifics remain undisclosed.

On drive arrangement, the prototype we rode was rear-wheel drive; Porsche has not stated whether that will be the sole configuration or if multi‑motor all‑wheel‑drive variants will appear later in the model cycle.

Missing numbers that matter for buyers

Vehicle dynamics and a low cockpit are important to enthusiasts, but prospective buyers also need power, range, weight, and price — none of which Porsche has released for the 718 EV. Without official motor counts, kilowatt outputs, usable battery capacity, and final curb weight, it is impossible to place the car precisely against rivals or to predict usable range under spirited driving.

Porsche’s confirmation of an 800-volt system signals the potential for fast charging speeds in principle, but peak charging power and how the chemistry holds up over repeated track sessions are open questions. Those are the details that will determine whether the electric 718 will truly match the sustained performance and usability of its gas predecessors.

How this could play out

The bottom line

Porsche has chosen an unconventional path for the 718 EV by mounting the battery behind the seats in an E-Core structure that aims to keep the low cockpit and handling balance of the 718 lineage. The prototype we rode at Weissach felt close to that goal, but crucial buyer questions remain unanswered: motor layout, power, usable battery capacity, range, curb weight and price. Those specifics — and independent range and durability tests once the car is revealed in 2027 — will determine whether the electric 718 delivers both the sensation and the real-world usability that enthusiasts expect.

What to watch

• Watch for Porsche to announce final power and range figures; no date has been set.
• Watch for the 718 EV’s full public unveiling and pricing details in 2027.
• Watch for first independent range and track durability tests after customer deliveries begin in 2027.