Aston Martin is planning to bring an all-electric car and plug-in hybrid to market, with the former arriving in the next two years, it has been reported.
Speaking to Car and Driver, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer revealed the DBX crossover seen at the New York motor show will hit production – albeit after a few tweaks. It will have a higher seating position so it’s more accessible, five doors and slightly revised dimensions to make it more practical.
“There’s probably more work to do on the interior. And we’ve got to keep that beauty. Got to keep that rail going in that arc, but we’ve got to make sure there’s sufficient headroom and seating room. It can’t be totally inadequate – you have got to be able to get in and out of the back doors,” Palmer said.
He added: “The luggage space needs to be able to take a suitcase, et cetera, so it’ll change but conceptually it’s correct. It will get a little higher, a little taller. But the overall dimensions are not far off.”
Another change is the powertrain. The DBX concept was all-electric, but the production car will go a different route initially. “In its first incarnation, it’ll have a gasoline engine and a plug-in hybrid,” Palmer explained, adding that, “if we can and if we prove that electric works, it would be a nice place to go.”
Palmer spoke of two other aspects of its three-pronged strategy, that it will be “replacing the entire sportscar range” and bringing a sports sedan to market, “which will carry [the Lagonda badge]”. The Lagonda Palmer is referring to is the second version, not the one known as the Taraf currently sold in the Middle East.
So what about the all-electric Aston, then? Well, the British manufacturer has revealed it will be based on the Rapide S, will be here in two years and will have an utterly ridiculous 1,000hp, which would suggest multiple electric motors like the dual motor Tesla Model S.
The reasoning – besides potentially making Aston Martin more tempting to people who care about polar bears – is to reduce the CO2 emissions average across the whole fleet. So before you complain, an all-electric means the V12 can live another day. Like in this beast.
As for a price, Palmer said to expect something similar to the combustion Rapide, which means somewhere north of £100,000.
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