Aston Martin building electrics in Wales

Aston Martin has confirmed its second major United Kingdom manufacturing facility will become the brand’s centre for electrification.

The St Athan centre is also the production home of Aston Martin’s Lagonda zero-emission luxury marque.

Aston Martin’s first all-electric production model the Rapide E will be built in Wales when production starts in 2019. Powered by an 800-volt battery, the Rapide E is limited to a production run of 155 with first deliveries in late 2019 and has an expected 320km range.

Lagonda’s new range of luxury vehicles start production in 2021.

The Lagonda Vision Concept was revealed at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show.

“Aston Martin sees itself as a future leader in the development of zero emission technologies,” its president and group chief executive officer Dr Andy Palmer says. He describes St Athan as “our home of electrification”.

“The Rapide E will spearhead development of Aston Martin’s low and zero-emission vehicle strategy,” Palmer says.

First minister Carwyn Jones says Aston Martin’s decision shows “a huge vote of confidence in the Welsh Government’s can-do attitude and in the package of support that we can offer to businesses that want to work with us”.

Aston Martin St Athan is now in the third and final phase of becoming a state-of-the-art vehicle assembly facility, in which production of the company’s first SUV is due to begin in late 2019.

The project includes the conversion of three super hangars on the former Ministry of Defence site.