Aston Martin Working on a Few EVs of its Own

2015 Aston Martin Rapide S (Credit: Aston Martin )

Aston Martin has been teetering on extinction for some time now, as it remains a relatively small automaker with limited resources. Obviously, the recent deal with Daimler has freed up a little capital for the British automaker, as it has just announced that it will release a massively powerful EV version of its four-port Rapide.

This report comes straight from the horse’s mouth, as Aston CEO, Andy Palmer, spilled the beans during an interview with Automotive News. According to Palmer, we should see the Rapide EV hit dealers by 2018, while an electric version of its upcoming DBX crossover will follow.

Palmer couldn’t get into exact details, but he did reveal some downright impressive estimates. He expects this Rapide EV to lay down around 800 horsepower, putting the Tesla Model S in a tough spot, and deliver a range of around 200 miles. What’s more, this hot sedan will include all-wheel drive to help deliver insane launches.

So, why does Aston want to make a mighty electric-powered super-sedan? According to Palmer “If you want to keep making V-12 engines, then you’ve got to do something at the opposite end of the spectrum.” That makes perfect sense to me, and it conforms to the tightening emission regulations that are starting to force automakers to look to electricity for a little help.

In terms of pricing, Palmer mentioned that Tesla is just now scratching the surface of just how high EV super-sedan pricing can go. While he would not get into specifics, the report indicates that the CEO hinted at the $200,000 to $250,000 range.

As for the DBX EV, Palmer was far less candid. In fact, he didn’t make any statements regarding it. All we know is that the standard and plug-in hybrid models will launch in 2019. This means that we are likely looking at a 2020 release of the DBX EV at the earliest.

We’ll bring you more details as they become available, so stay tuned.