Skip to main content
  1. Home
  2. Cars
  3. News

Sound of silence: Aston Martin Rapide will ditch howling V12 for electric power

By

Aston Martin Rapide S
Image used with permission by copyright holder
The Aston Martin Rapide is about to undergo a major change, and may soon disappear altogether, according to the British automaker’s CEO.

An all-electric version of the Rapide will appear in 2018 and supplant the current V12 version, Andy Palmer told Australian car website Motoring. The car’s importance in Aston’s lineup will also diminish, as the company emphasizes its upcoming DBX SUV and sedans from a newly expanded Lagonda sub-brand, Palmer added.

Recommended Videos

The electric Rapide was foretold by the RapidE concept that appeared in 2015. When the concept was unveiled, Palmer said it produced between 800 and 1,000 horsepower, with a range of up to 200 miles. The RapidE was developed in concert with Chinese investment firm ChinaEquity and Williams Advanced Engineering, the engineering arm of the Williams Formula One team. Note that Aston also has ties to LeEco, which is the main backer of electric car startup Faraday Future.

The involvement of ChinaEquity and LeEco hints at the importance of the Chinese market for Aston in general, and electric cars in particular. Tough emissions standards and generous incentives are making electric cars more popular in the country. Other countries are ramping up emissions standards, too, and Aston isn’t the only company planning a high-end electric car. Audi, BMW, Mercedes-Benz, and Porsche all have them on the drawing board, and Tesla continues to do its thing.

In other words, there is ample justification for Aston to switch the Rapide from gasoline power to battery power. Tesla has proven an electric sedan can be very exciting, although the current Rapide’s V12 howl will be missed. Aston will at least give the V12 Rapide a proper sendoff in the form of the Rapide AMR, a souped-up, 210-mph version from the automaker’s new performance sub-brand.

Even with electric power, the Rapide may not last very long. The current version debuted in 2010, making it pretty old by industry standards. But rather than redesign the Rapide, Aston may focus its efforts on Lagonda, which will get a new sedan and SUV in the near future, according to Motoring. Aston’s DBX SUV will probably sell in larger numbers than the Rapide ever did, and may even get an electric powertrain as well.

Editors' Recommendations

Topics
Stephen Edelstein
Stephen Edelstein
Contributing Editor
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Mercedes-Benz G580 first drive: old-school off-roader goes electric
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

American car buyers mostly know Mercedes-Benz as a luxury brand. But for decades, the automaker has also produced the tough, rugged G-Class (also known as the Geländewagen or G-Wagen), an SUV not afraid to get its leather upholstery muddy. And now, this iconic Mercedes is going electric.

The 2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology — the final name of the SUV previously known as the EQG — isn’t the first electric off-roader. The Rivian R1S and R1T and GMC Hummer EV have proven that electric powertrains and off-roading are a great combination. But the electric G-Wagen is different because it’s based on an internal-combustion model — and a very traditional one at that.

Read more
Honda believes hydrogen semi trucks will make the case for fuel cells
Honda hydrogen fuel-cell semi truck.

Honda remains committed to hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles, but the market for those vehicles remains limited. So Honda is looking at other uses for fuel cells -- including commercial trucks.

To show how that could work, Honda converted a semi truck to fuel-cell power, replacing its diesel engine with three fuel-cell modules. Together, the three modules produce a combined 321 horsepower, and can propel the truck to a top speed of 70 mph. There's enough onboard hydrogen storage capacity for a 400-mile range with a full load, Honda claims.

Read more
Mercedes-Benz G580 vs Rivian R2: Is the much cheaper Rivian actually better?
2025 Mercedes-Benz G580 from three quarter view.

Mercedes-Benz has finally taken the wraps off of the new "Mercedes-Benz G580 with EQ Technology." Yeah, it's a mouthful, but it's basically a new electric G-Wagon. It looks a lot like the G-Wagon you know and love, but with an electric powertrain and a battery. It's not the only electric SUV out there, however, and there are some great ones -- like the Rivian R2.

Both the Mercedes G580 and the Rivian R2 have a lot going for them, but they also approach the electric SUV slightly differently. Is one better than the other? I put the two head-to-head to find out.
Design
The approach that the two vehicles take to design is quite different -- and you might like one better than the other.

Read more