The Aston Martin RapidE Will Ditch The V12 For An All-Electric Powertrain

The EV revolution has come to Gaydon.

It has begun, at least for Aston Martin. The UK-based sports car company has just confirmed it will build the all-electric RapidE beginning in 2019. However, production will be limited to just 155 units. The RapidE will be Aston Martin’s first all-electric model, spearheading the company’s Second Century Plan that will eventually see additional low- and zero-emission vehicles. Based on the Rapide AMR, which was first shown last March at Geneva, the RapidE ditches the 6.0-liter V12 for an electric powertrain, details of which will be announced later.

So we know the RapidE will be a sleek four-door sedan – just like the Tesla Model S. Coincidence? We think not. The Rapide is the ideal first car for Aston Martin to make all-electric because it’s also its largest and most conventional model. Williams Advanced Engineering has been brought in as lead engineering partner, which is another sign that Aston Martin is dead serious about this whole EV thing; it’s laying the initial groundwork for an EV future. “Having revealed the RapidE concept back in October 2015 we reach another milestone with the confirmation that we are now putting the first all-electric Aston Martin into production,” stated CEO Dr. Andy Palmer.

“RapidE represents a sustainable future in which Aston Martin’s values of seductive style and supreme performance don’t merely co-exist alongside a new zero-emission powertrain, but are enhanced by it.” For EV skeptics and other haters, Palmer did reiterate that the “internal combustion engine...will continue to be (at the heart of Aston Martin) for years to come.” Successful change takes time.

An All-Electric Aston Martin SUV Is Really Happening

A break from tradition but a necessary revolutionary step for the British carmaker.

Aston Martin may have held out longer than most but it will soon be joining other luxury car manufacturers in adding an SUV to its range. To make up for lost time, the new SUV which will revive the Lagonda nameplate, will also be all-electric. Details are limited, although unlike the original Lagonda sedan of 1989, this one will definitely not be using a 5.3-liter V12 and its electrics should actually work. What we do know is that the Lagonda name will be a sub-brand under which technologically-advanced new models will be released.

The SUV is penned for its debut in 2021. Andy Palmer, CEO for Aston Martin stated that the Lagonda brand would allow them to pursue a more modern approach to car design that catered for the needs of 21st century motorists. The first glimpse of the design direction of the Lagonda SUV was shown at the Geneva International Motor Show in May. Its sleek lines and futuristic interior were a new move for the brand and Head of Design, Marek Reichman said that the boldness of this concept vehicle would be translated into the final production version too.

While traditionalists may bemoan the move to an electric drivetrain and the now ubiquitous SUV body style, such a big leap is necessary for a company such as Aston Martin to survive and be relevant in the motor industry going forward. Reichman reiterated this as he spoke about creating an SUV that was unique to drive and would serve as a vanguard for the future of the top echelon of luxurious sports cars. He was equally excited about the new design opportunities that an electric drivetrain layout provided, so while the new Lagonda may not be like any Aston before it, it will still be imbued with the latest luxuries and technologies that customers from the brand expect.

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Audi's All-Electric Onslaught To Start This Summer

This model will be the first of a major line-up of fully electric and hybrid models in every existing model range with plans to sell around 800,000 such vehicles buy 2025. Those are ambitious goals and the existing business infrastructure will also be receiving a big overhaul to achieve them. Early adopters of the e-tron SUV will for the first time be able to book certain functions online, the myAudi digital services system is expected to make a significant contribution to Audi’s operating profit over the coming years as it is rolled out to other models.