Fully Electric Aston Martin RapidE Concept Revealed
A fully electric Aston Martin RapidE Concept has been revealed, although no specs on the four-door luxury car have been announced yet.
Unveiled in London at the venue that will serve as the setting where Prince William and Catherine, Duchess of Cambridge, will meet the President of China, Xi Jinping, the RapidE is a study in how the British carmaker and Chinese investors can make the concept into reality. If successful, a production RapidE could make it to the market in about two years.
“We see luxury electric vehicles as an intrinsic part of our future product portfolio and welcome ChinaEquity into the next phase of study for the project development,” Aston Martin CEO, Andy Palmer, said. “The exciting RapidE concept tangibly demonstrates the capability and ambition of Aston Martin towards developing low- and zero-emission sports cars.”
ALSO SEE: Aston Martin Wants to Build a 1,000-HP Electric Car
It has been reported that Palmer is aiming for the RapidE to have between 800 and 1,000 horsepower. Speaking to AutoCar, Palmer said the Rapide will likely come in two versions: a RWD model with about 550 hp and a 200 mile range, and the 800 to 1,000-hp model with all-wheel drive.
The partnership with China is significant because there is a huge appetite for luxury cars there, especially electric or hybrid models because of the massive pollution problem.
“We are aiming to sell around 100 RapidEs a year in China and are pretty sure there will be a demand for cars in those numbers,” Palmer said.
The RapidE is estimated to cost about £200,000 or US$402,000.
Jodi has been obsessed with cars since she was little and has been an automotive journalist for the past 12 years. She has a Bachelor of Journalism from Ryerson University in Toronto, is a member of the Automobile Journalists Association of Canada (AJAC), and a jury member for the prestigious North American Car/Truck/Utility Vehicle of the Year (NACTOY). Besides hosting videos, and writing news, reviews and features, Jodi is the Editor-in-Chief of AutoGuide.com and takes care of the site's day-to-day operations.
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