All-electric Aston Martin combines green with chic

Aston Martin is the epitome of cool. Just whispering those four syllables conjures images of class, sophistication, and Bond, James Bond. And wealth. Fabulous wealth.

An electric version won’t change the latter (quite the contrary), but it could elevate the British “sports saloon” from ultimate chic to green stud.

Back in October, 2015, Aston Martin unveiled the RapidE all-electric concept, not to be confused with the Rapide, the RapidE’s fossil-fuel predecessor. The capital ‘E’ swaps the Rapide’s 6.0-liter, 470-horsepower V12 engine for an electric configuration (details to come). The Rapide first hit the streets in 2010, and sales were moderately disappointing.

With a price tag around $206,000, the Rapide was never meant for the general public. And with a limited run of 155 vehicles, the RapidE should climb further into the stratosphere of fabulous wealth. No pricing has been announced, but you’ll need more than the full backing of her majesty’s secret service to afford this whale.

So the RapidE is less a green revolution than an exorbitantly expensive luxury item that the wealthiest 1% can wield as a hammer to smash us lowly plebeians for our gas-guzzling sins. But it’s still the coolest thing to come out of Great Britain since The Beatles.

The RapidE will enter production in 2019.