License to Charge! James Bond to Drive EV Aston Martin
British tabloid The Sun is reporting that James Bond will be driving an all-electric Aston Martin in the upcoming 25th Bond film. This installment, scheduled for release on April 8, 2020, will mark Daniel Craig’s final appearance as 007.
Based on the report, Bond is set to ditch the classic V-8 and V-12 engines for an eco-friendly electric car. An unnamed source told The Sun that the film’s director is “a total tree-hugger” and has collaborated with Aston Martin to get one of its upcoming electric vehicles ready for the movie. According to the source, the EV is “going to be the center of an incredible action sequence,” while maintaining “all the high-tech gadgets” expected of a Bond vehicle.
The most likely candidate for Bond’s new ride is the Rapide E sedan, which is slated to enter production by the end of 2019. The Rapide E, based on the standard gas-powered Rapide, is expected to boast a 65.0-kWh battery pack, two electric motors generating over 600 horsepower and 700 lb-ft of torque, and a range exceeding 200 miles.
Producers feel “the time is right to put him in a zero-emission vehicle,” The Sun‘s source said. However, the vehicle could also be the upcoming DBX crossover. Though it’s set to debut with a V-8 engine, an all-electric SUV version is anticipated. This could potentially appear in the movie in prototype form.
Daniel Craig’s Bond has driven some noteworthy Aston Martins in the past. In Casino Royale (2006), he drove a prototype of the DBS coupe. The DBS was featured again in Quantum of Solace and was destroyed. In Skyfall, Bond drove his classic DB5. Furthermore, Spectre (2015) had a one-off Aston called the DB10, which evolved into the new Vantage production car. The new EV could potentially be a concept that previews a future model.
Production for Bond 25 has faced several setbacks, pushing the release date from November 8, 2019, to April 8, 2020. The script has undergone multiple revisions, delaying production, and the film is now on its second director. Cary Joji Fukunaga replaced Danny Boyle in September 2018. Filming is expected to begin soon, though an official title has not been announced, with the working title being Shatterhand.
