When Aston Martin teased the Rapide E in 2017, the company said the “four-door sports car” would start rolling off the assembly line in 2019.
2019 has come and gone and the company hasn’t said anything about the model since June. There could be a good reason for this as Autocar is reporting the production plan has been quietly shelved.
Details are limited, but the publication says a source told them the vehicle has transitioned into a “research project” that will help to improve the company’s electrification efforts. As part of this new mission, Aston Martin has reportedly decided against production.
Also Read: Aston Martin Rapide E Features Fast Charging And Will Be Capped At 155 Units
This would be a big change as the automaker unveiled a production-ready Rapide E at the Shanghai Auto Show last year. The model had a 65 kWh lithium-ion battery which powered two electric motors that produced a combined output of approximately 602 hp (449 kW / 610 PS) and 701 lb-ft (950 Nm) of torque.
The powertrain enabled the car to run from 0-60 mph (0-96 km/h) in less than four seconds and hit a top speed of 155 mph (250 km/h). The Rapide E also had a range of more than 200 miles (322 km) under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure.
Given that design and development work was essentially finished, it’s surprising the car would be axed at the last minute. This raises a lot of questions, with the biggest being how many of the 155 units were sold. It’s possible Aston Martin killed the model due to a lack of demand, but Autocar suggested the motivations could be financial.
Earlier this week, Aston Martin CEO Andy Palmer used the company’s Trading Statement to say “2019 has been a very disappointing year” and their “underlying performance will fail to deliver the profits we planned.” Palmer also announced a cost cutting program, but didn’t elaborate. However, it’s possible the limited production Rapide E was scrapped to focus their efforts on the DBX which has already racked up approximately 1,800 orders since November.
