Porsche has produced a new version of the original rear-drive-only Boxster E

When Porsche took the wraps off its pure-electric Boxster E, journalists were distinctly underwhelmed by the experimental car’s weedy performance.

Taking 9.8secs to get to 62mph and reaching a top speed of just 93mph, here was a Porsche that would be comprehensively outrun by a 2.0-litre Ford Fiesta turbodiesel.

Well, Porsche has produced a new version of the original rear-drive-only Boxster E, this time with an extra motor driving the front wheels. At an equivalent 241bhp and 398lb ft of torque, this latest pure electric Porsche is twice as powerful as the earlier model.

And it’s actually quicker than its 2.9-litre petrol-powered sibling – the latest Boxster E will reach 62mph in 5.5secs, compared with the petrol car’s 5.9ecs.

That said, top speed is limited to 124mph – the petrol powered Boxster will reach 163mph. Interestingly, though, the Porsche’s top speed virtually matches the Tesla Roadster’s 125mph.

While Porsche hasn’t said anything about when or if a pure electric Boxster will go on sale, we’d venture thatit is likely and that Tesla has, indeed, set the minimum performance bar.

In the meantime, the Boxster E continues to act as a rolling testbed for Porsche as it the explores practicalities and problems surrounding using electric vehicles as daily drivers – the car is also taking part in a large-scale trial of EVs sponsored by city of Stuttgart (Porsche’s home town).