In a recent press release, Aston Martin has reconfirmed the launch of their first ever all electric vehicle. The British automaker has opted to name the first electric Aston Martin vehicle the Rapide E.
Aston Martin will be launching a limited series of 155 units of the Rapide E beginning in the fourth quarter of 2019. The British automaker has also confirmed that the limited series units will all be built in their dedicated facility located at St. Athan in South Wales.
As of right now, the Rapide E is confirmed to have a 65 kWh battery, as well as an 800 V system voltage capable of charging at 100 kW or more. The all electric vehicle has been estimated to achieve 0-60 mph in less than 4 seconds, while being able to achieve 50-70 mph in approximately 1.5 seconds. The Rapide E is also listed as having a target range of more than 200 miles (320 km) under WLTP cycle.
In regards to the Rapide E’s performance, Aston Martin had this to say:
“Being an Aston Martin, the Rapide E is being developed with a high-performance objective. Projected top speed for the Rapide E is 155mph, with a sub-4.0sec 0-60mph time and a 50-70mph time of just 1.5sec. It’s important to stress that these figures are not restricted to a narrow window only when the batteries are fully-charged. Instead the target is for maximum performance on-demand throughout majority of the battery state of charge window, as would be expected from a conventional internal combustion-engined car. This includes the ability to drive a full lap of the Nürburgring with absolutely no derating of the battery and the ability to cope with the daily demands of repeated hard acceleration and braking.”
Aston Martin concluded the press release by providing more insight into the production process of the Rapide E:
“Though the Rapide E will be built in low volumes, it is being subjected to Aston Martin’s stringent and exhaustive testing protocols, with the dedicated WAE team working closely alongside Aston Martin personnel to ensure every aspect of the prototype test programme follows the marque’s established procedures. Uniquely, customers will be an extended part of the ongoing Rapide E programme, with their comments and driving experiences providing an invaluable stream of feedback that will help shape and improve future Aston Martin EVs.
In addition to WAE, the Rapide E programme enjoys the support of other technical partners including Hyperbat Limited – a new joint venture company between Williams Advanced Engineering and Unipart Manufacturing Group – as the battery manufacturer, Integral Powertrain for the electric motors, Xtrac for the transmission and the H1PERBAT project consortium with grant funding from the Advanced Propulsion Centre.”
With the Rapide E being Aston Martin’s first all electric vehicle, we can expect a lot of these figures to update and change over the course of it’s production. As such, we will be closely monitoring all subsequent updates and information regarding the vehicle in order to stay on top of future developments.
