Aston Martin to Add Cygnet Electric to Upscale Lineup

In the U.S., the CAFE (Corporate Average Fuel Economy) standard will require each automaker’s fleet to achieve an average 35.5 mpg by 2016. The EU (European Union) is requiring most automakers to meet an average CO2 emissions target of 130 grams-per-kilometer by 2015. Since CO2 emissions directly correlate to the amount of fuel burned per kilometer or mile driven, this also aims at fuel efficiency. This could have a dramatic impact on manufacturers who built very upscale, high performance automobiles.

These companies could attempt to retain current performance levels by investing in new technologies to increase mpg and reduce CO2 emissions, an expensive proposition with diminishing returns. Alternately, they could add very fuel efficient, low emission vehicles to their product lineups to take advantage of the averaging formulas used in CAFE and corresponding EU requirements. Mercedes-Benz and BMW are looking at this approach with cars like the Smart ED and BMW Megacity EV.

Britain’s Aston Martin will probably be granted a more lenient CO2 emissions reduction because of its low sales volume. Even so, it is still planning to market a battery electric vehicle so it can continue selling its DB9, Vantage, Rapide, and DBS models without any compromise in performance. The planned battery electric vehicle in this company’s stable is the Aston Martin Cygnet.

The Cygnet is really a rebadged Toyota iQ City Car treated to the upscale features expected of an Aston Martin, along with the signature Aston Martin grille and emblems expected of the brand. A rich blend of hand-stitched leather, Alcantara, and aluminum is found inside, a hallmark of Aston Martin's sports cars. Of course, the Cygnet is assembled with Aston Martin’s traditional detailed craftsmanship.

Aston Martin is projecting a sales volume of around 115 Cygnets annually. Considering Aston Martin’s low sales volume, this could allow Aston Martin to meet the anticipated CO2 emissions reduction of 20 percent below the marque’s current CO2 average. While 115 Cygnus electric cars may seem a small number, keep in mind that the company has produced only about 50,000 automobiles in its nearly 100 year history. Aston Martin believes it can successfully market the Cygnus to drivers who want both an upscale, environmentally-friendly city car and a high performance sports car for the road.