Aston Martin is undergoing some significant changes and implementing some new plans as they transition into their new generation of cars, which is a change that the small, exclusive supercar manufacturer is in dire need of.
With announced plans to overhaul their entire lineup by 2020, a lot of questions are buzzing around as to what’s next for Aston. And although Aston’s former CEO, Ulrich Bez, outspokenly expressed the company’s disinterest with hybridization and even downsizing by reportedly maintaining their loyalty to the company’s legendary V12, they instead want to skip the hybrid train altogether by jumping directly to all-electric sports cars, according AutomotiveNews.
The outlet spoke with Aston’s current CEO, formerly of Nissan, Andy Palmer, who said a battery=powered version of the current Rapide could be available by late 2017 at the earliest.
“We’re talking about an electric Aston Martin with between 800 and 1,000 horsepower — imagine having all that torque on demand,” he said, while noting his desire to also uphold the automaker’s traditions of embodying “power, beauty and soul” in each car–yea, the same jargon that fills the LCDs of current Astons upon startup.
Palmer however also said there aren’t any plans to abandon the V12 however, but he did continue to downplay downsizing and even hybridization.
The idea of an all-electric Aston was influenced by Tesla’s recent success with performance and battery-powered all-electric vehicles as a way to represent moves into the future and current technology. Palmer also said fuel-cells offer some promise by relieving “range anxiety” from the reputation of EVs. But due to the the limited infrastructure, that’s still a ways away.
Additionally, he also mentioned an all-electric Aston could show up in a future James Bond film, adding it would make an “awfully good getaway vehicle.” With the instantaneous power delivery of EVs, we’d agree.
“I don’t think James really cares what the power train is as long it’s fast and beautiful,” he said.
– By: Chris Chin
Source: AutomotiveNews
Source: egmCarTech http://bit.ly/1Rn8KJg
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