Robin Roberts reports on good news for Aston Martin and Wales…
News that the new St Athan site will become its centre for electrification confirms an exclusive story which appeared on WheelsWithinWal
The Aston Martin Rapide E will be the first Battery Electric Vehicle from the international luxury sporting brand in 2019 and St Athan will also assemble future all-electric Lagonda models from 2021 with a £50 Million investment in the technology.
The ‘Lagonda Vision Concept’, revealed at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show hints at the bold design language that could be seen in future Lagonda products in as little as three years.
News comes just 24 hrs after Aston Martin said it would offer public shares in the business later this year and today’s news is expected to boost their price.
Dr Andy Palmer, Aston Martin President and Group Chief Executive Officer, said, “Aston Martin sees itself as a future leader in the development of zero emission technologies, and I am delighted that St Athan will be our ‘Home of Electrification’ for both the Aston Martin and Lagonda brands.
“The Rapide E will spearhead development of Aston Martin’s low- and zero-emission vehicle strategy. With the reintroduction of the Lagonda brand, this is a demonstration of how electrification features prominently in our business plan moving forward.”
First Minister, Carwyn Jones said, “I am very proud of Aston Martin’s decision to locate its new manufacturing facility in St Athan. It 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.
“Today’s announcement that St Athan will also be the “Home of Electrification” for both Aston Martin and Lagonda is another huge win for Wales. It is a genuine testament to the reputation, dedication and skills of our workforce but also an excellent and very tangible example of how Welsh Government support can act as the catalyst for further economic growth and job creation.”
International Trade Secretary Dr Liam Fox MP said the decision will created hundreds of highly skilled jobs in future, adding, “The UK has world leading expertise in manufacturing and developing low carbon vehicles and this investment is yet another vote of confidence in the our highly competitive automotive industry.”
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 sports utility vehicle (SUV) is due to begin in late 2019.
The project includes the conversion of three super hangars on the former Ministry of Defence site. The plant is a demonstration of Aston Martin’s continued commitment to the UK and an additional investment of £50million to make St Athan the home of electrification for the marque shows a clear vision on the future of Aston Martin in the UK.
The new plant will bring up to 750 high skilled jobs to South Wales over the coming years, with more than 150 already recruited.
