Overview
- Autocar, corroborated by CarExpert, reports Porsche engineers are adapting the PPE Sport architecture for the next 718 Boxster and Cayman to take petrol power, reversing the EV‑only plan.
- The EV platform uses a stressed, load‑bearing battery and flat floor, so the proposed fix adds a bolted‑in structural floor plus a redesigned rear bulkhead and subframe to support an engine and transmission.
- Engineers must also package a fuel tank, fuel lines and an exhaust into a platform that lacks a central tunnel, with a new rear section understood to be required.
- EV versions remain due around 2026, with petrol variants reported for later this decade, while Porsche has already confirmed it will keep selling ‘top’ ICE derivatives of the current 718 as a stopgap.
- Reports tie the U‑turn to waning EV demand, revised Euro 7 rules and e‑fuel allowances improving the business case, alongside significant restructuring charges from Porsche’s broader EV plan rollback and ICE additions.