Aston Martin Rapide E
For the first time in brand history, Aston Martin is launching the Rapide E as an electrical powered vehicle. This special version was first announced in 2015 on the occasion of a state visit by Chinese President Xi Jinping in Great Britain. Since then, development work has been done in close cooperation with Williams Advanced Engineering (WAE), a subsidiary of the well-known Formula 1 racing team, to get the car into production-ready state. Special attention was paid not only to the technology, but also to aerodynamics. Like all future electric vehicles from Aston Martin and the revived luxury brand Lagonda, the Rapide E will be built in the new plant in St. Athan in Wales.
Since electric motors and batteries require less cooling than the comparable technology of a car with combustion engine, the designers reduced the air intake size at the front and equipped it with a honeycomb grille mesh. A completely covered underfloor directs the wind from the front spoiler to the enlarged diffuser at the rear. This could be achieved by eliminating the exhaust system. Also, the new forged alloy rims, fitted with bespoke low rolling-resistance Pirelli P Zero tires, improve the airflow without neglecting brake cooling. Overall, the aerodynamic efficiency compared to the normal Rapide S could be improved by eight percent.
Behind the steering wheel, the Rapide E receives state-of-the-art digital data on a ten-inch display instead of the classic analogue instruments. In addition to the speed, it also displays the condition of the batteries, current motor power levels, regenerative performance and a real-time energy consumption meter. The consistent use of carbon fiber ensures that the previously set targets in terms of curb weight could be achieved with 2,140 kilograms. The team is also very proud of the solutions found together with WAE to accomodate the batteries in the existing vehicle structure of the Rapide, which is in production since 2009. A total of 65 kWh of power is available, distributed by more than 5,600 cylindrical cells. Packed in carbon and Kevlar, this battery pack sits where the normal Rapide has its engine, gearbox and fuel tank.
On the rear axle are two electric motors and a limited slip differential with a total output of 612 hp and 950 newtonmeters of torque. For the sprint from a standstill to 60 mph pass less than four seconds, while the intermediate sprint from 50 to 70 mph takes only 1.5 seconds. Topspeed is limited to 155 mph. As a range, Aston Martin states 200 miles. Thanks to the modern 800-volt architecture, the Rapide E enables the driver to do a full lap of the Nürburgring Nordschleife without performance derating of the battery or motors. The electric drive can be adjusted into three different driving modes (‘GT’, ‘Sport’ and ‘Sport+’) via a switch on the steering wheel.
Interested parties can order the Rapide E immediately, but Aston Martin will only offer 155 copies worldwide. The price is only available on request from your nearest dealer. For the vehicle, customers receive a special app that allows certain information such as the status of the battery, remaining range and the time to charge to be checked from afar, as well as to plan the next journey and upload the navigation data to the car.
Images: Aston Martin
