Aston Martin has confirmed that its first all-electric model, the RapidE, will enter production in 2019 but at the moment it is only set for a limited production run of 155 cars. It is being developed in collaboration with Williams Advanced Engineering, an offshoot of the Formula 1 team, and a Shanghai-based investment partner, ChinaEquity.
This RapidE will be based on the carmaker's forthcoming Rapide AMR concept. Though the four-door model closely resembles the Rapide S in appearance, it will substitute the six-litre V12 engine with an all-electric powertrain; and a battery bank will be placed along the car's backbone.
The car is likely to be offered in two variants – a rear-wheel-drive, 557hp model with a potential range of around 320km and a high-performance four-wheel-drive version with independent electric motors for each wheel. The second variant will be capable of producing a whopping 811-1,014hp, but it will be developed only after the former is launched.
Speaking to our sister publication Autocar UK, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer said, "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."
The RapidE will spearhead Aston Martin's foray into the EV market but the company has emphasised that its conventionally powered cars would remain core to the brand.