Aston Martin Rapide E 2019: prices, specs, battery range and release date

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Aston Martin has finally taken the covers off its first all-electric model – the Rapide E – at the Shanghai Motor Show.

Following a series of design sketches and concept machines, the Rapide E appeared in production guise for the first time in China before customers start taking delivery of the luxury EV later this year.

Gone is the naturally aspirated V12 engine that powers the standard Rapide. In its place sits a dual-motor and battery system that has been developed in partnership with Williams Advanced Engineering, an offshoot of the British Formula 1 team, Auto Express reports.

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Blending supercar levels of performance with the practicality of a four-door saloon, the Rapide E enters a hotly contested part of the market. The Tesla Model S currently dominates the luxury EV space, although Porsche’s upcoming Taycan is expected to cause quite a stir later this year.

But Aston Martin won’t be producing the Rapide E in anywhere near the numbers of its key rivals. Only 155 examples of the four-door EV will reach the production line, making it as exclusive as the company’s multi-million pound Valkyrie hypercar.

Here are all the details on Aston Martin’s first electric model:

Price

Pricing for the exclusive model is only revealed to customers “on request”, according to Evo. Expect the EV to cost significantly more than the £150,000 price tag on the current Rapide S.

Release

Orders are open now, with deliveries due to get under way later this year and in early 2020. Buyers will need to be quick, though, as the car’s exclusivity means it may get snapped up by car collectors in a matter of weeks.

Design

From a distance, the Rapide E looks almost identical to the combustion-engined model it’s based on. But take a closer look and the differences become more apparent.

The front and rear bumpers, for instance, have been completely redesigned to provide cooling and improve aerodynamics, says Autocar. The redesign also provides a “visual link” to the firm’s latest models, including the new DBS Superleggera supercar.

Another major difference is the addition of a carbon fibre rear diffuser, which helps reduces drag by roughly 8%, the magazine says. Reducing drag not only makes the Rapide E faster in a straight line, but it also helps eke out the power from the car’s battery pack.

Along with the bodywork tweaks, the Rapide E gets a new set of 21-inch wheels that have been specially designed to improve aerodynamics, says PistonHeads.

The cabin has also been given a major overhaul, too, highlighted by a digital instrument panel replacing the conventional analogue version on the older model.

Battery range and performance

Underneath the Rapide E’s bonnet sits a 65kWh battery pack, which is encased in carbon fibre and temperature regulated to “maintain ideal efficiency”, notes Evo.

The battery is capable of delivering over 200 miles of range under the new – and more accurate – Worldwide Harmonised Light Vehicle Test Procedure (WLTP) efficiency measuring system that came into effect last September.

It’s quick, too. The car’s rear-mounted dual-motor system produces 601bhp, which helps launch the EV from 0-62mph in less than four seconds, says Auto Express. A dash from 50 to 70mph is completed in just 1.5 seconds, before drivers charge on to the car’s top speed of 155mph.