Aston will get access to Lucid’s electric drive units, which house the motor, invertor and transmission in an integrated unit. Lucid boss Peter Rawlinson said that these have 9hp per kg of power density, which is more than double Tesla and eight times that of Hyundai’s motors. The firm is also working on motors for racing that have 17hp per kg.
Aston’s electric cars will use four motors, with power outputs potentially up to 1500bhp. “Aston will use four motors, we’re three,” said Rawlinson, who as well as being Lucid CEO is also its chief technology officer. “Aston Martin are taking it to the next level.” Four motor technology will see a twin-motor front axle that will be unique to Aston Martin.
Lucid will also supply battery cells and modules, and Aston will then use them in a battery pack of its own design. All components will be built in Lucid’s factory in Arizona and shipped to the UK.
Rawlinson said all technology was derivative of that on the Air but with “significant software changes”. He added: “The main difference is in thermal integration and battery layout. It will be a different shape battery pack with a software difference.”
Aston technical chief Roberto Fedeli hoped to have the first electric Aston drivetrain working on a test bench by the end of the year and the first mule running on the roads by the start of 2024.
The architecture the powertrain will be used in will be a “fully flexible BEV platform, modular in height and wheelbase”, said Fedeli, who said the platform was being designed to last well into the 2030s. Aston will be able to make a sports car 2cm lower than the current 1273cm Aston Martin Vantage, something enabled by the compact size and design of the Lucid cells. “The most important one is the lowest one,” said Fedeli, in reference to the need for Aston to continue to make low, sports cars.
However, the first Aston EV will not be a sports car but an electric SUV crossover, previewed in a teaser sketch released alongside the Lucid news. By 2030, an electric GT will likely have followed but sports car models were less likely for now.