Aston Martin has a lot on its plate but that hasn’t stopped CEO Andy Palmer from revealing he’s open to a high-performance electric vehicle that would compete with the upcoming Tesla Roadster.
When asked about the possibility of offering an electric vehicle that is smaller and faster than the Vantage, Palmer told Auto Express “It’s possible.” When went on to say “There are various challenges involved in making an EV, and the one everyone focuses on is the battery – the management system and the chemistry involved.” However, he said companies such as Aston Martin are really good at other issues that affect electric vehicles including “weight, aerodynamic drag and rolling resistance.”
As Palmer explained, this experience “puts us at an advantage over other brands who are making some big claims – such as Tesla, with a lightweight roadster.”
Besides talking about a potential Tesla rival, Palmer said Aston Martin won’t offer plug-in hybrids because they add too much cost and complexity. Instead, he would rather “spend my engineering dollar on going to what, after all, will be the final goal: pure-electric vehicles.” Despite this, the company has plans for mild-hybrids which use 48V technology.
In related news, Aston Martin announced it sold 5,117 vehicles last year and this is the first time since 2008 they have surpassed the 5,000 unit mark. The company expects that success to continue as the Vantage will go into production this year and it will be joined by a replacement for the Vanquish.
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