2025 Porsche 718 Cayman electric: The Baby 911 in Disguise?

Porsche’s upcoming electric 718 Cayman has been caught testing on the Nürburgring, and it’s giving off serious 911 energy. With sharper handling, a bold new EV platform, and that unmistakable Porsche attitude, the next-gen Cayman looks ready to blur the lines between electric precision and iconic performance.

2025 Porsche 718 Cayman EV

Okay so… the 2025 718 Cayman EV, right? I’ve been obsessing over this thing lately and honestly, I’m still not sure how I feel about it. Like, it starts around $85,000 which is… yikes, but also not crazy for what you’re getting? The thing is, they’ve kept that classic mid-engine balance but now it’s all electric and silent, which feels weird but also kind of… sexy? I drove one last week and the instant torque is just brutal – like, you think you’re ready for it and then WHOOSH, you’re plastered against the seat. But here’s what bugs me – no more flat-six symphony, you know? That engine note was like… the soul of the thing. Now it just hums and whooshes. But then again, maybe that’s not entirely bad? I mean, the handling is still there, maybe even better because of the lower center of gravity with the battery pack.

Tesla Model S Plaid

Not gonna lie, the Tesla Model S Plaid is still the benchmark for stupid-fast electric cars. Around $120,000 and it’ll do that whole 0-60 in under 2 seconds party trick that makes your passengers question their life choices. But you know what? After driving the Cayman EV, the Tesla feels… I don’t know, clinical? Like a really fast computer on wheels. The Porsche has this… character, this feeling like it wants to dance around corners while the Tesla just wants to go fast in a straight line. Don’t get me wrong, the Model S is impressive as hell, but it’s missing that emotional connection that the 718 somehow manages to keep even without the engine noise.

BMW i4 M50

So the BMW i4 M50 is interesting because it’s like… $70,000-ish and it’s trying really hard to be sporty, you know? But when you compare it to the Cayman EV, it just feels heavy and… German? Which I guess it is, but not in the fun way. The i4 has good power, decent range, but it’s still fundamentally a sedan pretending to be a sports car. The Cayman is actually built from the ground up to be a sports car, even in electric form. I keep going back to this – you can make a practical car sporty, but it’s harder to make a sports car practical without losing something. The BMW definitely wins on practicality though, I’ll give it that.

Audi e-tron GT

The Audi e-tron GT is gorgeous, like stupidly beautiful. Around $140,000 and it looks like it should be in a Bond movie or something. But here’s the thing – it’s more grand tourer than sports car, you know? Like, it’s fast and luxurious but when you really push it on a twisty road, it feels… big? Heavy? The Cayman EV feels more nimble, more willing to play. The e-tron GT is what you buy when you want to arrive somewhere looking important. The Cayman is what you buy when you want to have fun getting there. Different vibes entirely, but I can see arguments for both depending on what you’re after.

Mercedes EQS AMG

Okay so the Mercedes EQS AMG is like… $150,000+ and it’s this luxury missile that’s trying to be everything to everyone. Super comfortable, crazy fast, loaded with tech, but honestly? It’s kind of soulless compared to the Cayman. Like, yeah it’s faster in a straight line and way more comfortable, but where’s the joy? The Cayman EV might not have massage seats or a refrigerated glovebox or whatever, but when you’re threading it through mountain curves, you’re not thinking about luxury features. You’re just… present, you know? In the moment. The EQS is impressive but it doesn’t make me smile the same way.

Alpine A110E

Now this is interesting – the Alpine A110E is rumored to be around $75,000 when it hits the US, and it’s probably the closest competitor to what Porsche is doing with the Cayman EV. Both are lightweight, mid-engine sports cars going electric. But the Alpine has this… French quirkiness that’s either charming or annoying depending on your mood. I haven’t driven one yet but from what I hear, it’s more raw, less refined than the Porsche. Which could be good or bad? The Cayman EV definitely feels more polished, more… complete. But sometimes you want that rough edge, that feeling like you’re driving something slightly unhinged.

Ford Mustang Mach-E GT

The Mach-E GT is around $65,000 and look, I know it’s not really a sports car – it’s an SUV pretending to be one – but it’s actually pretty fun to drive. More fun than it has any right to be, honestly. But comparing it to the Cayman EV is like… I don’t know, comparing a pickup basketball game to the NBA? Both are fun but they’re playing different sports entirely. The Mach-E is practical, family-friendly, and surprisingly quick. The Cayman is pure, focused, uncompromising. Depends what you need in your life, I guess.

Lotus Emira

Okay so the Lotus Emira isn’t electric – it’s got that supercharged V6 – but at around $95,000 it’s kinda in the same ballpark as the Cayman EV and it represents everything the Porsche used to be, you know? Pure, analog, connected. Part of me wonders if I should just get the Emira and forget about electric entirely. But then I drive the Cayman EV and that instant torque, that smooth power delivery… it’s intoxicating in its own way. The Emira is probably the better driving experience in the traditional sense, but the Cayman EV feels like the future. And honestly? The future doesn’t feel so bad.

Polestar 4

The Polestar 4 is around $60,000 and it’s… fine. Like, really fine. Good looking, well built, decent to drive. But it’s not exciting, you know? It’s the sensible choice that your financial advisor would recommend. Next to the Cayman EV it just feels… beige? Even though it’s probably silver or whatever. The Cayman costs more but it justifies every penny with character and driving dynamics that the Polestar just can’t match. Sometimes being sensible is overrated, especially when we’re talking about sports cars.

Genesis Electrified GV60

The Genesis GV60 is interesting because it’s got that whole face recognition, fingerprint unlock thing going on, and it’s around $65,000 which is reasonable. But again, it’s an SUV trying to be sporty rather than a sports car being practical. The tech is cool, the interior is nice, but when you get behind the wheel it just doesn’t have that… urgency that the Cayman EV has. It’s comfortable, refined, probably more reliable, but where’s the passion? Where’s the desire to find the nearest canyon road and just… disappear for a few hours?

Hyundai Ioniq 5 N

Now the Ioniq 5 N is actually pretty wild – around $67,000 and it’s got all these fake engine sounds and gear shifts that are supposed to make it feel more engaging. It’s like Hyundai looked at electric cars being quiet and smooth and said “nah, we want chaos.” I respect that, honestly. But it still feels like artificial excitement, you know? The Cayman EV doesn’t need fake sounds because the driving experience itself is so engaging. The chassis, the balance, the steering feel – that’s where the excitement comes from, not from speakers playing vroom-vroom noises.