A breath of fresh air but in line with tradition. Rapide E is a classic Aston Martin, British, stylish, fast. But it is also the first with zero emissions. Designed in the Home of Electrification in St Athan, revealed on 16 April at the Auto Shanghai motor show and already reserved for the next 007. Indeed, according to The Sun, the electric version could appear on the big screen alongside Daniel Craig in the next film of the cult saga. With Rapide E, the Aston Martin Lagonda is taking the path to sustainability, ushering in a new tradition of luxury cars with an ecological theme. And a track record worthy of Hollywood.
ZERO EMISSIONS WITH THE FEEL OF A V12
Rapide E is the green counterpart to the already acclaimed Rapide AMR and, just like its sister with a V12 engine, it wants to be seen as a sports car, without any loss of performance or drivability. The electric version also has three driving modes, GT, Sport and Sport+, which involve the motors and the chassis. Developed with the support of WAE (Williams Advanced Engineering) engineers, the car contains two 610 CV rear-mounted electric motors that produce a torque of 950 Nm and push the car to a self-limited top speed of 250 km/h. The battery is equipped with 800V technology and protected by casing made from carbon fibre and Kevlar. This cutting edge technology brings huge advantages in terms of efficiency, ensuring consistent performance regardless of the weather conditions and an autonomy of 320 km.
ON THE PATH TO OPTIMISATION
While every element of the Rapide E is realised with premium materials that enhance its exclusive nature, it is also designed with optimisation and intelligent energy consumption in mind, so much so that the aerodynamic package has been improved by 8% compared to the previous version with a combustion engine. This result has been obtained thanks to a series of modifications: aluminium rims with a more aerodynamic design, a front grille with a bee's nest-like structure to replace the metallic fins, a front opening that minimises air friction and an underbody that favours air flow, in part thanks to the lack of an exhaust system. The car's efficiency can be monitored on board thanks to a 10" digital display that updates the driver on the battery charge level, the power of the motor currently in use, energy consumption in real time and regenerative performance. What's more, you can also use an app to obtain information remotely regarding, for example, the condition of the battery, or send destinations for navigation directly to the car to help make planning journeys easier.
P ZERO TYRES THAT DON'T OPPOSE RESISTANCE
The tyres help in a fundamental way to further improve the aerodynamic qualities of the electric car. The low resistance to rolling is one of the merits of the P Zeros fitted to the Rapide E: customised tyres calibrated to the particular characteristics of the vehicle. For years, in fact, the P Zero range has worked in collaboration with manufacturers of prestige and premium cars on the Perfect Fit strategy, a development of the tyres in parallel with that of the car which they will be fitted to, which is then be approved and branded by the car manufacturer. This is how, with P Zero tyres made for the DBS in 2007, Pirelli and Aston Martin began a journey that has seen the production of tyres with a special brand that has helped maximise the potential of the elegant English saloons.
ELECT, THE BRAND FOR ELECTRIC CARS
155 limited edition examples of the Rapide E will be added to the electric car market, which is seeing an increasing number of car manufacturers getting involved. Pirelli has strived to meet the needs of the producers with a range of tyres designed especially for electric cars: the P Zero Elect tyres have a low rolling resistance that enables maximum autonomy for the batteries, reduces car noise during driving and offers immediate grip that responds to the stress provided by the transmission.
