UK Government Backs Aston Martin's Electrification Strategy With £9 Million Investment

Aston Martin has secured £9 million in government funding from the Advanced Propulsion Centre UK (APC) to support its electrification plan. This funding will provide additional resources for the research and development of Aston Martin's modular battery electric vehicle (BEV) platform and help boost their sustainability initiative, Racing. Green.

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Ian Constance, APC Chief Executive, said: “The 23rd round of our collaborative R&D competition coincides with the APC’s 10th anniversary. We’ve seen over £1.4 billion of investment into automotive projects since the APC was set up, and I am proud of the impact that we have made here in the UK. This latest announcement includes a diverse set of OEMs and suppliers that demonstrate the strength of UK automotive. They will further add to our portfolio of innovative projects and continue to drive the UK to deliver on its net zero ambition.”

The automaker along with six other partners is working to tackle the technical challenges associated with developing a lightweight, 800V traction battery pack and twin-front electric drive unit (EDU). The overall objective of this project, 'Elevation', is to integrate the components into a BEV platform that is adjustable from supercar performance to SUV utility. 

A few months ago, Reuters reported that Aston Martin has partnered with Lucid Automakers, in this partnership Lucid will give access to their technology for their Battery Electric Vehicles (BEVs), including electric powertrains and battery systems. Simultaneously, Mercedes-Benz, a strategic partner of Aston Martin will provide access to a range of technologies, consisting of powertrain and electric/electronic architectures for current and future Aston Martin vehicles, spanning internal combustion engines, hybrids, and electric vehicles.

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The first fully electric vehicle is slated to launch in 2025. Ahead of this, the first plug-in hybrid offering from the company, the mid-engined supercar, the ‘Valhalla', arrives in 2024. Aston Martin aims to introduce an electrified option for all new model lines in 2026 and commits to complete electrification of its core range by 2030.

Roberto Fedeli, Group Chief Technology Officer of Aston Martin, said: “The award of funding from the APC is another major boost to our electrification strategy and constant strive for innovation. Providing further resources to explore the possibilities of our bespoke BEV platform, it will help achieve our ambition to be an in-house BEV technology leader in the ultra-luxury, high-performance segment. We look forward to progressing this project with our collaborative partners and thank the APC for their incredible support.”

Written by: RONIT AGARWAL