Aston Martin boss, Lawrence Stroll announced that in 2024, all core models of the brand will be offered with a plug-in hybrid option, following the debut of the upcoming PHEV-only Valhalla supercar. This is two years earlier than the previous announcement that was part of the Racing Green strategy. During the financial report for the first half of 2023 which proved to be quite profitable for Aston Martin, Lawrence Stroll said: “Our electrification journey will start with Valhalla, our first PHEV supercar, and we plan to expand our PHEV range into our core vehicles which will bridge the customer journey from ICE to full BEV.”
The electrification crescendo will include
the DBX SUV, the recently unveiled DB12, as well as the upcoming Vantage and
DBS models. The goal is for the PHEV option to bridge the gap between the
current ICE-powered models and the future EVs. As reported by Autocar, the
plug-in hybrid powertrains will be sourced from Mercedes-AMG which supplies V8
engines to Aston Martin since 2016. While details have yet to be confirmed,
chances are that Aston Martin will use variations of the electrified twin-turbo
4.0-liter V8 in combination with a rear-mounted electric motor, already found
in Mercedes-AMG flagship E-Performance models and expected to be used in the
Valhalla supercar.
In the most powerful trim of the
Mercedes-AMG GT 4-Door Coupe, the PHEV setup is capable of producing a combined
831 hp and 1,400 Nm of torque, while Aston
Martin promised an even higher output of over 986 hp for
the Valhalla. Chances are that the rest of the lineup will be somewhere in
between, allowing some breathing room for the electrified mid-engined supercar.
As for the zero-emission range, it depends on the batteries that Aston Martin
will use for each of its models.
A few months ago, Lawrence Stroll promised
8 new sportscars within the next 2 years. Besides the DB12 that debuted in May
and the next-gen Vantage and DBS which are expected within the next 15 months,
this number likely includes the PHEV variants of those models. Furthermore,
Autocar reports that the DBX SUV could get a facelift in 2024 coinciding with
the addition of the PHEV option. As for the upcoming EV, this is expected to
arrive in 2026 using Lucid-sourced batteries and motors.
