Prepping for its first battery-powered model in 2025, the British sports carmaker has announced a partnership with American EV start-up Lucid for the supply of batteries and powertrain technology. For Lucid, which gains a 4% stake in Aston Martin in return, it’s the first partnership of this kind.

While combustion-engine parts can easily be shared (Aston uses the V8 from Mercedes, among other components), the bottleneck for battery-powered technology is much tighter.

As strategic partner Mercedes wouldn’t be able to supply Aston Martin with cell packs and other auxiliary components before 2025, the latter has struck a deal with Lucid, which is in a position to start the supply immediately. Both companies share the Saudian Public Investment Fund (PIF) as an important shareholder.

First BEV in 2025

The agreement, called a “significant pillar of our electrification strategy” by Aston’s CEO Robert Fedeli, means that the road map can proceed without delay. Next year, the plug-in hybrid Valhalla from Gaydon will hit the showrooms, followed by the company’s first all-electric sports car in 2025.

Teaming up with Lucid doesn’t substitute for the technical liaison with Mercedes. Commenting on the new deal, Aston Martin’s principal owner Lawrence Stroll: “Along with Mercedes-Benz, we now have two world-class suppliers to support the internal development and investments we are making to deliver our electrification strategy.” As Lucid is also gaining a shareholder’s interest, this clearly is a longer-term agreement.

Cells from Panasonic

Today, Aston Martin is developing a bespoke architecture for its battery-powered models. It states that it will not only serve for its sports car but also for a hypercar, a grand tourer, and an SUV. It will underpin its complete range of models. By the decade’s end, the marque wants to be combustion-free, just like Maserati.

After prior agreements with LG and Samsung, Lucid currently has a multi-year agreement with Panasonic to manufacture cell packs based in the US. Initially, Aston Martin was set to be supplied by Britishvolt, a start-up from Northumberland in the UK. But that firm collapsed and suffered several setbacks, even after Recharge Industries bought it.

Carving out its name

Lucid will provide Aston Martin with not only cell packs but also inverter technology to monitor the charging process and the recuperation system and its twin-motor tech that allows for a myriad of settings for four-wheel torque vectoring, an exciting piece of kit for a sports car manufacturer like Aston Martin.

As a start-up, Lucid has succeeded in carving out a name for itself in emission-free mobility, also in competition. The firm serves as a battery supplier for Formula E and has delivered electric motors since the beginning of this year. Its road-going four-door model Air Sapphire can hit 0-60 mph in under two seconds. That’s exactly the scorching sort of acceleration Aston Martin is looking for.