Aston Martin's new UK factory will be EV hub

The Rapide E, shown, is a test-bed for the Aston Martin's electric technology

Automotive News Europe
September 11, 2018 15:05 CET

LONDON -- Aston Martin's plans to launch its first full-electric car, the Rapide E, moved closer to reality after the automaker announced the production site and a local supplier for the battery packs.

Aston plans to build 155 full-electric versions of the Rapide E sports sedan starting next year when it opens a new factory in St. Athan, near Cardiff in Wales.

Aston Martin said Tuesday that the factory will become the company's center for electrification.

Along with the Rapide E, the factory will also build Aston's first SUV starting late next year. The SUV was previewed by the DBX electric concept at the 2015 Geneva auto show. The production version will only be available as a gasoline model after the company dropped plans for it to be electric.

The plant also will be the production home of the Lagonda brand, which the company is reviving as an ultraluxury all-electric subbrand aimed at Rolls-Royce and Bentley customers.

The Rapide E, based on the conventially-powered Rapide sedan, is a test-bed for the company's electric technology before it is used by Lagonda, first vehicle from its all-electric Lagonda brand will be an SUV arriving in 2021, followed by a sedan a year later.

The Lagonda Vision Concept unveiled at the Geneva auto show in March hints at the design language for Lagonda production cars.

"We're still learning about the battery technology, which is why we're doing the Rapide  E," CEO Andy Palmer told Automotive News Europe earlier this year.

Aston Martin has not released performance data or prices for the Rapide E but Palmer has previously said the car will cost around 200,000 pounds ($260,000).

The Rapide E will use battery packs supplied by Hyperbat, a joint venture between the engineering arm of the Williams Formula One team, and manufacturing and logistics specialist Unipart. They will be built in a new production facility in Coventry, central England.

The plant, opening next year, will build up to 10,000 battery packs a year that draw on Williams Advanced Engineering's previous experience making packs for the FormulaE race series.

Cells for the lithium ion packs will be sourced globally, Williams said. The plant will also cater for other customers besides Aston Martin, Williams Advanced Engineering said in a statement, without naming them.

Aston Martin has previously said it would like to switch to solid state batteries by the time the first Lagonda arrives.

You can reach Nick Gibbs at ngibbs@crain.com.

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