What's all this about?
Aston Martin has confirmed its first-ever battery-electric vehicle will be the Rapide E, this 610hp/950Nm monster being based on the brand's four-door express. It will be built in a run of just 155 vehicles, with first deliveries due in Q4 of 2019, at the marque's St Athan facility in Wales, which it has dubbed its 'Home of Electrification'. The Aston Rapide E was developed in partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering.
Do we have any more spec details?
A few. The 65kWh battery has 800-volt architecture and it sits in the spaces vacated by the petrol Aston's V12 motor, gearbox and fuel tank. Those aforementioned power and torque outputs mean the rear-wheel-drive Rapide E should be able to run 0-62mph in less than four seconds, 50-70mph in just 1.5 seconds and go on to a 155mph top speed, but it should also be capable of 200 miles of zero-emissions driving on the WLTP cycle. Charging via either 400V 50kW or 800V 100kW chargers will be suitably, er... rapid. Sorry.
Anything else to add at this stage?
We’ll let Andy Palmer, the CEO of Aston Martin, sign off by saying: “Environmental responsibility and sustainability is a global challenge faced by us all. As a career automotive engineer, I’m proud that the car industry is leading the way in finding long-term solutions and reducing harmful emissions. As Aston Martin’s CEO, I take particular satisfaction working with Williams Advanced Engineering and our other associated technology partners to bring Rapide E to reality. As our first all-electric production model, Rapide E will fast-track our knowledge and help us ensure the character and high-performance capabilities of our future EV models and enhance the unique qualities found in all Aston Martins as we know them today. Rapide E will also serve as a critical step on our path to re-launching Lagonda as the world’s first zero-emission luxury marque.”
Anything else to add at this stage?
We'll let Andy Palmer, the CEO of Aston Martin, sign off by saying: "Environmental responsibility and sustainability is a global challenge faced by us all. As a career automotive engineer, I'm proud that the car industry is leading the way in finding long-term solutions and reducing harmful emissions. As Aston Martin's CEO, I take particular satisfaction working with Williams Advanced Engineering and our other associated technology partners to bring Rapide E to reality. As our first all-electric production model, Rapide E will fast-track our knowledge and help us ensure the character and high-performance capabilities of our future EV models and enhance the unique qualities found in all Aston Martins as we know them today. Rapide E will also serve as a critical step on our path to re-launching Lagonda as the world's first zero-emission luxury marque."
Matt Robinson - 12 Sep 2018