Aston Martin has pushed the launch of its first ever electric vehicle back to 2033 or later, with CEO Adrian Hallmark confirming that they no longer have a specific deadline. Speaking to Autocar UK he explained the change in strategy by saying that they only require battery electric vehicles to satisfy legislative demands in certain areas ‘just before 2035’. Hallmark confirmed that it could either be 2035 or it could be 2033, but it certainly won’t be 2031.
Hallmark described Aston Martin’s stance perfectly by stating that they are ‘not BEV deniers but BEV delayers’. This means that they plan to stick with internal combustion engines as their primary power source until 2035. The British manufacturer has developed a plan to keep their V8 and V12 engines up to standard and in production at least until that date so that they can continue to offer the performance associated with their brands for as long as possible. Hybridisation will play a part in helping them comply with emissions legislation but plug-in hybrid vehicles are less likely to feature as they add weight and complexity.
The revised strategy isn’t the first of its kind, with previous management already pushing the planned launch window back to as late as 2027. Hallmark himself suggested 2030 once he joined the company from Bentley in 2024, but rapidly changing customer demands for battery powered luxury performance and ever evolving legislation in different regions has led to Aston Martin adopting a more cautious approach. Hallmark stated that demand and regulation are changing so quickly that it creates a ‘spaghetti junction’ of possibilities that need to be stress tested for individual regions.
Despite the push back, Aston Martin will continue with low level research and development into electric powertrains and maintain their partnership with Lucid to supply batteries and powertrain components when the time comes. With the deal being activated later than initially planned, the technology they receive from Lucid will be significantly more advanced than what they originally agreed. Investment into pure electric vehicle development is currently low, with budgets described as research spend rather than a commitment to a specific launch date. Large scale outlay will be postponed until nearer the time as Aston Martin look to expand their partnership with Mercedes-Benz in relation to powertrains and electrification.
Between now and 2035 Aston Martin will focus on perfecting their current range of petrol powered vehicles so that they remain competitive and compliant. This approach will allow the company to dedicate resources to perfecting the driving dynamics, soundtrack and emotional connection that their customers demand whilst giving engineers more time to assess the ever-changing landscape of battery technology, electric powertrains and relevant legislation. Delaying the launch of their first battery electric vehicle will reduce the risk of them investing too early and committing to a programme that might no longer be relevant. It will also mean that Aston Martin can take advantage of any changes in legislation or customer demand and only launch the BEV when they feel it’s the right thing to do.