Aston Martin will launch an all-electric version of the Rapide which will enter the market in 2 years from now, so says the company’s current CEO, Andy Palmer. Palmer confirmed the news at the recent Pebble Beach Concours d’Elegance in California. Aston Martin are targeting an 800bhp all-electric, all wheel drive Rapide with a predicted 200 mile range. An all-electric DBX Crossver is expected to arrive before the end of the decade. Palmer said: “If you want to keep making V-12 engines, then you’ve got to do something at the opposite end of the spectrum,” Palmer said of the company’s defensive strategy. Emissions-free models are necessary in the immediate future to balance out the emissions of its powerful V-8 and V-12 sports cars, especially in markets such as China”. Palmer wants to position the Rapide above Tesla’s most powerful Model S, the P90D which sells for around $142k. No price has been set, but this advanced technology will come at a premium over the current V12 powered Rapide which sells for around £150,000 GBP. Aston will source most of the electric component technology from either Samsung or LG and not from Mercedes which currently owns 5 percent of the British supercar maker. Aston Martin is responding to similar efforts from rivals such as Lamborghini, Bentley and Rolls Royce who will also be offering all-electric powerplants and SUV’s. The company hopes new models like the electric Rapide and DBX will boost annual sales to around 7,000 units per year. First of all Aston will be cleaning up its current inventory of Supercars with the launch of an all new DB9 successor, slated to debut in 2016 and most probably to be named the DB11.