The demand is not enough to launch into it.
At this point we can already talk about widespread “cable collection” in the automotive sector in relation to electric cars: brands have realized that their take-off is being quite slow, so many of them have announced delays in its plans to go exclusively to zero emissions. The last one was Aston Martin.
Autocar colleagues have had the opportunity to speak with Lawrence Stroll, president of the British brand, who has been clear about this by pointing out that the initial plan to launch its first electric vehicle in 2025 has been delayed, as it will not be presented for another year. then 2026, and will not be available until 2027.
The move is due not to problems in the brand, which already has its battery models ready, but to the fact that there is still not much real interest in this type of car, so Aston Martin prefers to focus first on plug-in hybrid cars. .
“We have designed and prepared a platform for four vehicles [eléctricos] different. We have all the products technically developed and physically designed,” says Stroll.
Regarding his first electric vehicle, he explains: “We planned to launch it at the end of 2025 and we were ready to do it, but it seems that there is much more enthusiasm for electric vehicles, politically motivated or whatever, than consumer demand, particularly at a Aston Martin price.”
In reference to this, he comments that the demand for electric cars is particularly low in the luxury segments, since customers who buy an Aston do not have it as their main car for everyday use, but rather for enjoyment and leisure.
He states that the company will “definitely” reach electric cars, but that in no way will it be according to the previously announced dates.
In a complementary way, Stroll points out that Aston has “decided to invest a lot in PHEV”, a technology that “will be developed for a long time and we will have a wide offer.” He also believes that “they will last much longer than was thought even a year ago” and he believes that demand for PHEVs will not begin to decline until the mid-1930s.
In addition, he also made a statement that will delight the most purists: “As long as we are allowed to make cars with internal combustion engines, we will make them. I think there will always be demand, even if it is small.”
In this way, Aston Martin follows in the footsteps of other luxury brands, such as McLaren, which has also delayed the arrival of its first electric vehicle, and Bentley, which has confirmed a similar movement, also betting heavily on plug-in hybrids.
Adrian Hallmark, CEO of the firm, stated that “due to the delay of the first BEV and all the changes around us, we are investing more in hybrids.”
In addition, he added that “we expected a drop in hybrids in 2028, 2029 and 2030, but now we hope that they can actually grow and continue. It gives us more opportunities and protects us against slower adoption of BEVs.”