A powertrain is a powertrain right? Does it matter if it has 8-cylinders, 12 cylinders or no cylinders? Yes and no… from a certain point of view. Aston Martin’s view is half in half out, a marriage of tradition and planning ahead for the future. And part of that future insight is manifested in the Aston Martin Rapide E, the company’s first electric car.
The Rapide E is a collaboration between many partners, the main one being Williams Advanced Engineering, a sub-division of Williams F1.
While the Rapide E was confirmed for production at the 2018 Frankfurt Motorshow, it was officially unveiled at the Shanghai Auto Show a few hours ago.
And for good reason, China is the biggest car market in the world and there are plenty of multi-multi-millionaires ready to snap up however many of the 155 examples that will be allocated to China.
The Rapide E is powered by 5600 lithium-ion batteries in place of the engine. Power is sent to twin rear mounted electric motors which delivers 602bhp and 950Nm of torque.
By comparison, the V12 powered Aston Martin Rapide cedes 551 bhp at 6650 rpm and a maximum torque of 630 Nm (464 lb.ft) at 5500 rpm.
The Rapide E will offer a claimed acceleration from 0–60 mph in 4.0 seconds along with a top speed of 155 mph (249 km/h). Maximum performance will be accessible regardless of battery charge.
Aston Martin says the Rapide E has a projected range of 200 miles and will charge up to 185 miles of range an hour on a 400-volt; 50 kW charger. The car can also be charged on an 800-volt super charging station which increases the charging rate.
The Rapid E will be fitted with low-drag wheels and low-resistance Pirelli P Zero tyres for maximum efficiency. Aston Martin has tuned the chassis and suspension to cope with the extra weight of the electric batteries.
No details on cost, however the V12 powered Rapide AMR starts at £194,000 Brexit pesos. A limited edition Aston Martin is always an expensive proposition. Add advanced electric technology and we reckon a price close to £1m GBP (Brexit pesos).
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