Aston Martin to Offer Hybrid Tech Across Model Range

Aston Martin plans to offer hybrid technology on all of its models within the next decade, CEO Andy Palmer has revealed.

“We will be 100 percent hybrid by the middle of the 2020s,” Palmer told the Financial Times. The automaker will offer battery vehicles as well as mild-hybrid cars that pair an electric battery to a traditional combustion engine.

Aston Martin’s commitment may sound similar to the one Volvo made earlier this summer, but there is a key difference. Volvo says every single one of its vehicles will include electrification, but Aston Martin will simply offer an electrified option on every model throughout its range. So while Volvo will stop selling all vehicles that run purely on gas or diesel, Aston Martin will continue churning out non-hybrid vehicles, reports FT.

Palmer estimates that around a quarter of Aston Martin cars will be all-electric by the end of the next decade. In the meantime, Aston Martin is gearing up to produce its first all-electric car, the Rapid-e, in 2019. It’s possible the upcoming DBX crossover will offer a hybrid version after it enters production in 2019, according to Palmer.

The CEO also said Aston Martin wants to develop the electric driving systems in-house.

“You need to keep core technology inside the company,” said Palmer. “That’s why we make our own V-12 engine. We believe that EVs are a core technology, and therefore we want to do them ourselves.”

Aston Martin has its hands full. A year ago, we learned Aston Martin was busy at work launching seven new models within 7 years, starting with the new DB11. Another model is a mid-engine sports car that will rival the Ferrari 488 and McLaren 720S.

Source: Financial Times (Subscription required)

The post Aston Martin to Offer Hybrid Tech Across Model Range appeared first on Motor Trend.

from Motor Trend http://ift.tt/2xuRtLm