Aston Martin has unveiled its plan to produce its first all-electric car in Britain. The company plans to build 155 of the Rapide E sedans at its facility in Wales, starting 2019. The first Aston Martin electric car should come on the market towards the end of next year.
The new car shares the same shape as the company’s V12 Rapide sedan. Despite having the addition of a battery system however, the use of lightweight materials in the Rapide E ensures both models are similar in weight.
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A major challenge was installing the large battery in the same space as the engine and other components in the V12. Aston Martin partnered with Williams Advanced Engineering, a company with expertise in battery technology and aerodynamics, to overcome the technical challenge.
Features of the Rapide E Aston Martin electric car
- Driving range of 320 km.
- Top speed of approximately 250 km/h.
- 0 to 100 in under 4 seconds, and 80 to 115 in 1.5 seconds.
- Two rear-mounted motors producing 448 kW of power and 950 Nm of torque in total.
- Rear-wheel drive and limited-slip differential.
- Delivery of peak performance even without a fully-charged battery – differentiating it from the Tesla 3.
- Aerodynamic wheels and improved aerodynamic efficiency.
- Battery system comprising 5,600 lithium-ion cells.
Aston Martin’s Chief Executive Andy Palmer said environmental responsibility and sustainability are challenges we all face. He added that he is proud the car industry is “leading the way” in finding solutions for reducing harmful emissions.
Palmer also believes that production of the car should ‘fast track” the company’s knowledge of electric-vehicle technology.
Electric vehicles to become more mainstream in Australia
The price tag of the Rapide E ias unknown, but it’s likely to be out of the reach of the average Australian family. However, that shouldn’t stop those of us who can’t aspire to a James Bond lifestyle from aspiring to own our own electric vehicle.
There are already electric cars within the financial reach of the average Aussie, and more expected to come on the market in the next few years. Research by ARENA also indicates EV sales will dominate the car sales market within 20 years.
EVs not only reduce emissions of course, they also create enormous cost-savings. ARENA’s research shows by 2024 you should be able to fully charge an EV for around $11.
In addition, those of us with solar installations could charge up our EVs at home. And by adding a solar battery to the mix, it could be done overnight.
