Aston Martin Rapide E to Arrive Next Year With 602 HP

Aston Martin announced plans to convert its Rapide saloon into its first ever electric car last year. The company released nothing but a few sketches of the Rapide E at the announcement. Today, the British marque has finally presented us with new information on the upcoming four-door electric saloon.

The Rapide E will enter a strictly limited production run of just 155 examples with deliveries starting in the last quarter of 2019. As far as the powertrain is concerned, an 800 V system rated at 65 kWh will replace the 6.0-liter V12 at the front of the car. The battery system will send its power to two electric motors, both placed on the rear axle. The rear-wheel drive system will produce 602 hp and 738 lb-ft of torque capable of taking the car from 0-60 mph in less than four seconds and from 50-70 mph in just 1.5 seconds. The electric Rapide E will go on to achieve a top speed of 155 mph (hence the production numbers).

Aston Martin says that the main differentiating factor of the Rapide E to existing performance electric cars like the Tesla Model S is that the Rapide E will be able to deliver its headline performance figures consistently and not just when the batteries are fully charged. This includes the ability to drive a full lap of the Nurburgring with no performance drop from its electric powertrain.

In case of a full discharge however, the car will be able to replenish its batteries at the rate of 185 miles (298 km) of range per hour from a typical 400 V 50 kW charger. With a 800 V 100 kW outlet, the charging rate rises to 310 miles of range per hour, Aston Martin claims. As for the driving range on full charge, the company claims over 200 miles under the NEDC test cycle.

Aston Martin has optimized the exterior design as well as the underbody of the Rapide saloon for aerodynamic efficiency resulting in a longer range. The electric saloon gets a new set of wheels shod in bespoke Pirelli P Zero tires that deliver a lower rolling resistance and noise.

“As our first all-electric production model, Rapide E will fast-track our knowledge and help us ensure the character and high-performance capabilities of our future EV models and enhance the unique qualities found in all Aston Martins as we know them today,” said Andy Palmer, Aston Martin’s CEO. “Rapide E will also serve as a critical step on our path to re-launching Lagonda as the world’s first zero-emission luxury marque”.