Audi has confirmed that its upcoming electric sports car remains on track for launch next year, despite speculation surrounding Porsche’s related electric 718 programme. The update was first reported by Autocar, citing an internal letter from Audi CEO Gernot Döllner to employees. The production model, previewed by the Concept C and known internally as the
Audi has confirmed that its upcoming electric sports car remains on track for launch next year, despite speculation surrounding Porsche’s related electric 718 programme. The update was first reported by Autocar, citing an internal letter from Audi CEO Gernot Döllner to employees.
The production model, previewed by the Concept C and known internally as the C-Sport, is being developed in partnership with Porsche within the Volkswagen Group. Döllner reportedly stated that delivery of the platform by Porsche “is not in question” and that collaboration between both brands is proceeding as planned.
The reassurance follows reports that Porsche is reassessing its EV-only strategy for the next-generation 718 Boxster and Cayman. Bloomberg recently indicated that under new CEO Michael Leiters, Porsche is reviewing the viability of the electric 718 models as part of wider cost control measures.
The Audi C-Sport was conceived to share major components with the electric 718 duo, including its platform, drivetrains and battery systems. Both are based on a heavily modified version of the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture.
In Audi’s application, the battery has been relocated from beneath the floor to a position behind the driver, enabling a lower seating position and more conventional sports car proportions. The Concept C shown in Munich last September measured 4,350 mm in length and featured a dual-motor configuration.
Porsche’s parallel development path has become more complex. Autocar previously reported that Porsche engineers in Weissach are reengineering the PPE platform to accommodate an internal combustion engine for certain next-generation Boxster and Cayman variants.
The PPE architecture was originally designed as a dedicated EV structure, using the battery pack as a stressed structural element. Removing it reduces chassis rigidity, requiring a new structural floor section to restore stiffness, along with redesigned rear bulkhead and subframe components to support a mid-mounted engine and transmission.
Adding to that, PPE was not designed with provisions for a fuel tank, exhaust routing or central tunnel, meaning substantial reworking of the rear structure is required if combustion power is reinstated.
Audi’s electric coupe remains scheduled for launch next year, with further technical details expected closer to its debut.
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