Aston Martin RapidE

Bye-bye V12, hello... electric motors?

Before you get too upset at Aston Martin swapping a naturally aspirated V12 for electric motors just remember the last attempt to reduce the fleet average emissions. Cygnet turned beautiful swan? An electric Rapide - or RapidE if we're following the typographical instructions - is certainly a more appropriate answer to reducing emissions than a rebadged Toyota. As in it's actually based on an Aston Martin.

RapidE takes inspiration from racy AMR

First shown as a concept in 2015, Andy Palmer's promises about the car were convincing enough that we said "apparently it could make production within two years". Looks like we were right! Because today brings confirmation of a limited run of 155 customer RapidEs, expected to be with owners... within two years. OK, nearly right.

Anyway. As per the concept the RapidE has been developed with Williams Advanced Engineering and leads the low- and zero-emissions element of Palmer's 'Second Century Plan'.

"RapidE represents a sustainable future in which Aston Martin's values of seductive style and supreme performance don't merely co-exist alongside a new zero-emission powertrain, but are enhanced by it," says Palmer. "The internal combustion engine has been at the heart of Aston Martin for more than a century, and will continue to be for years to come. RapidE will showcase Aston Martin's vision, desire and capability to successfully embrace radical change, delivering a new breed of car that stays true to our ethos and delights our customers."

Silently slinking into view in 2019

So much for the corporate line, what about the nitty gritty of power, performance, range and charging time? What's that, there isn't any? Not yet, the press release promising more details "in due course" while all we have so far is "the instantaneous delivery characteristics of electric motors means the RapidE will offer a unique driving experience of a kind not experienced before in an Aston Martin".

Williams' technical director Paul McNamara seems confident they can deliver the necessaries though. "This project with Aston Martin will draw on the extensive battery and EV experience we have accumulated," he says, the firm also involved with the Vanda Dendrobium electric hypercar of course. "We are extremely pleased to be supporting this prestigious British company with their future electrification strategy."

Why the Rapide as a basis for launching Aston Martin into the electric age? Well, given the Tesla Model S has successfully launched the idea of a premium, performance electric vehicle on the market in something vaguely Rapide-like in shape the temptation must have been obvious. Likewise that Porsche will be entering the market with the Mission E before the end of the decade, this too a fast four-door coupe-saloon type machine.