Aston Martin has unveiled its all-electric RapidE concept, showcasing the EV at London’s Lancaster House in time for a meeting between British royals and China President Xi Jinping.
Developed through a partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering, the battery-powered RapidE is nearly indistinguishable from the Rapide S. The difference becomes clear when looking under the hood, exposing a high-voltage electronics box in place of Aston’s 5.9-liter hand-built V12 engine.
Technical details remain unclear, though the RapidE would presumably be priced above the Tesla Model S — a positioning that would pressure the company to match or beat its US rival in terms of performance.
The British luxury automaker has established an agreement with Chinese investment group ChinaEquity to explore a potential production version of the RapidE concept. Williams Advanced Engineering supplies battery systems for Formula E electric racers, suggesting similar technology could be used for the RapidE.
If the plan moves forward, the car would be built at Aston’s production headquarters in Gaydon. The company suggests it could be brought to market in approximately two years, pointing to a 2017 launch window.
“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,” said Aston Martin chief executive Andy Palmer.
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