ELECTRIC Aston Martin Rapide E dynamic debut in Monaco

The electric Aston Martin Rapied E – Aston’s first electric car – gets its dynamic debut in Monaco ahead of the Formula E Monaco ePrix.

After a four years of promises, Aston Martin finally revealed a production version of the Rapide E electric saloon in April, although its spec fell quite a way short of the original promises, and there will only be 155 made.

Still, it’s an opener for Aston’s electric cars – although future electric cars will be mainly new Lagondas – and shows intent, although it would have been far more interesting of the original promise of 800bhp and 4WD had been delivered.

Still, the Rapide E does come with 600bhp from a pair of electric motors at the back, powered by a (rather modest) 65kWh battery pack sitting not on the floor but where the V12 should be. It’s enough to hit 62mph in 4.0 seconds and deliver a (rather modest) 200 mile range.

Now the Rapide E has been let loose on the road for a dynamic debut in Monaco ahead of the ePrix – in the hands of Aston’s Le Man winning driver Darren Turner – perhaps to prove it can actually hustle along and encourage buyers to put up (a so far undisclosed) amount for Aston’s first EV. Because despite only 155 being made, they still haven’t all been sold.

Darren Turner said:

I’ve had the privilege to join the Aston Martin engineering team at various stages of the car’s development and the performance that’s on offer in Rapide E really is incredible. The car has the kind of torque and punch that you’d expect from an EV, but they’ve really worked hard to retain the dynamic characteristics of what makes an Aston Martin special.

Today feels like a real milestone in this company’s history and for me to be the first person to drive an all-electric Aston Martin publicly is an absolute honour, particularly here in Monaco.

The Aston Martin Rapide E goes in to production at Aston Martin Lagonda’s new Plant at St Athan in Q4 2019.