Is Aston Martin busy engineering a radical electric beast capable of churning forth 1000 horsepower? Word is circulating that an electric Aston Martin with four doors and a serious need for speed could be approved for a 2020 production run.
The electric version could look like the Rapide, according to Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer.
The official word on the electric Aston Martin supercar has not been given, so this information is all speculation that began to take shape on the heels of the 2015 Goodwood Festival of Speed. Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer gave sparse details about a special prototype engineers are tweaking in order to achieve a 50/50 weight distribution level with the addition of batteries.
The Aston Martin Cygnet was the butt of many jokes when it emerged. It came out just before a general wave of acceptance for smarter cars hit the planet, leaving some to wonder if it would fare better on today’s market. Anyone who has ever attempted to park in Philadelphia would understand the Cygnet’s unique size appeal!
Aston Martin is not a virgin to the smartcar movement–think way back to its little contribution: The diminutive Aston Martin Cygnet and it’s 1.0-liter engine tickling 89 horses. The tiny Cygnet seemed to emerge before its time, and before words like smartcar, hybrid or electric held much clout on the market and were often met with smirks. Few are smirking at alternative powertrains these days, with the LaFerrari and Porsche 918 showing that things have evolved even from the amazing Fisker Karma. It also helps that Palmer is a supporter of the hybrid movement, making the following statement on the matter:
“On my watch we are never going to put a diesel in an Aston. And I don’t think the Cygnet was the right thing to do. I think something like an electric car would be interesting, to sit squarely above a Tesla. Most people who buy Teslas are buying fully loaded ones, so it implies there’s room for that. I’m a great advocate of electric vehicles, not for fuel economy, but for performance. We are working on a car that would look like a four-wheel-drive, 1,000bhp Rapide. There is a prototype running around. It’s not a formal part of our six-year plan but it might have to become part of it if we have a regulatory issue.”
Palmer stating that he is for performance above fuel economy is a strong indication that even an electric Aston Martin is going to be quite fabulous!
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