An all-electric version of the Aston Martin Rapide sedan is said to be in the making, slated for a launch in about two years' time. What's interesting to note is that the electric-powered supercar will not have any parts sourced from Mercedes-Benz, according to an Automotive News report.
Andy Palmer, CEO of Aston Martin, said that the four-door electric Rapide will have a motor that can produce power outputs of around 800 hp. And while unconfirmed, Palmer hopes that the all-wheel drive vehicle will come with total cruising range of about 320 km. As a reference, the current Rapide S makes about 550 hp through its naturally-aspirated 6.0 litre V12 engine.
It also looks like one of the all-electric Rapide's key market will be China, as Palmer said, "emissions-free models are necessary in the immediate future to balance out the emissions of our powerful V8 and V12 sports cars, especially in markets such as China."
Prices for the electric super sedan isn't going to be low of course. The CEO hinted at a price tag of somewhere between the range of USD$200k (RM817k) to USD$250k (RM1.02 mil). Palmer justified the pricing by saying that those looking to buy it are looking for something "beyond a pure technology play," but instead are looking for "legacy."
Batteries in the Aston Martin Rapide will be sourced from LG or Samsung, akin to plans by Audi, which will use power cells from the same suppliers for their electrified Audi Q6 SUV. Apparently, Aston Martin is already testing out the electric Rapide on the roads.
On a similar matter, the CEO also said that an electric Aston Martin SUV is also in the plans. The DBX crossover will probably make its way into the market by 2019 in stages, with the plug-in hybrid coming in first, followed by a petrol variant and subsequently an all-electric DBX.
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