Porsche has chosen not to use single-pedal drive in its current EVs, and that won't change for the electric sports cars due to replace the current gasoline-powered 718 Boxster and Cayman.
It's all about giving the driver more control and confidence, says Porsche research and development boss Michael Steiner in a recent interview with Autocar.
“If you ask any racing driver, no one would choose a one-pedal system because you have to be able to control recovery and braking in one place seamlessly,” said Steiner. “In the corners, if you don't have the right feeling on the pedal, you don't trust the stability of the car.”
2025 Porsche 718
Porsche's current strategy, as seen in the Taycan and Macan Electric, it goes into regenerative braking only with the brake pedal. This works best, says the automaker, because it does better use of kinetic energy built up to deceleration. Steiner reiterated that point here, while adding that Porsche's approach gives the driver greater control and awareness.
“Once you know how to brake, you as a driver can make the changes you need—and feel the response of the road, the steering, and so on,” says Steiner. “So you can control the car with the brakes and the throttle and, in our opinion, this is superior to a system that does something you can't control.”
Porsche Mission R concept
Announced in 2022 and arriving in 2025 as 2026 models, 718 Boxster convertible and Cayman coupe it will replace the petrol-equivalent as the entry point in Porsche's sports car range.
Spy shots from earlier this year show dimensions similar to the 718 petrol models, which may stick around EVs for some time, combined with styling cues from other electric Porsches. Other elements are expected to carry over to the 2021 Mission R concept, including a T-shaped battery pack that fills the central tunnel and the space behind the seats, though it's unclear whether production models will match the 670 hp concept, which can be briefly upgraded to 1,073 hp.