Aston Martin Is Evolving The Rapide Into An EV

2015 Aston Martin Rapide S (Credit: Aston Martin )

Things are changing at Aston Martin, and the Rapide is the model that will be going through a bit of a transformation first. The British automaker will be evolving the four-door vehicle into an all-electric sedan that will compete against the likes of the Tesla Model S and Porsche Mission E, among others.

Some automotive news outlets incorrectly reported that this means the death of the V-12 version of the Rapide. Automobile Magazine thankfully clarified those reports with Aston Martin brass, which said the V-12 or S trim is “core to the line up.” In other words, you’ll still be able to hear that raucous snarl from new Rapides for the foreseeable future.

Maybe eventually the V-12 will go away, but only once demand falls ridiculously low. If you prefer silence, the electric version will provide. This is the first of what will undoubtedly be many all-electric Aston Martins, marking an important step forward for the company.

The all-electric model will be called the RapidE. It’s set to break cover in 2018, and will hit the market at the same time as the DBX crossover. The real question we should all be asking is if James Bond will drive one. We’ll see.