Aston Martin holds back its new electric supercar until 2026 as bosses say drivers still want the engine’s throaty roar

For Aston Martin drivers (and owners of all types of sports cars too) there is nothing like the feel and sound of an internal combustion engine at top speed.

So it’s perhaps not surprising that the British luxury brand is delaying the launch of its first all-electric car.

Aston Martin had last year revealed plans to create “the world’s most exciting and desirable high-performance electric cars.” But while electric vehicles may be as nimble as their petrol or diesel counterparts, the one thing they don’t really do is roar.

Aston Martin has delayed the launch of the battery-powered vehicle from 2025 to 2026 after admitting it was not as desirable as imagined.

Chief executive Lawrence Stroll said: “Demand, certainly at an Aston Martin price, is not what we thought it was going to be two years ago.”

Chief executive Lawrence Stroll said: “Demand, certainly at an Aston Martin price, is not what we thought it was going to be two years ago.”

He added that there was “much greater demand” for plug-in hybrids than for fully electric vehicles because people “want some electrification but still have the smell, feel and noise of a sports car.”

He added that there was “much more demand” for plug-in hybrids than for fully electric vehicles because people “want some electrification but still have the smell, feel and noise of a sports car.” The company still plans to deliver its first plug-in hybrid supercar, the Valhalla, later this year.

Automakers are grappling with weaker-than-expected demand for electric cars. Concerns about insufficient charging infrastructure and high prices during the cost of living crisis have put off potential buyers.

According to the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), purchases of new electric cars by private buyers fell by 25.1 percent in January.

And forecasts show battery electric vehicles will take a 21 percent market share this year, down from a 22.3 percent estimate in October and the 23.3 percent expected a year ago. Vauxhall owner Stellantis this month urged the Government to do more to create demand in the market for battery-powered cars.

The British subsidiary of electric car company Arrival collapsed this month, putting almost 200 jobs at risk, while electric truck company Volta declared bankruptcy in October, affecting around 600 British jobs.

The SMMT has called for greater investment in public infrastructure for electric vehicles, stating that the lack of charging points “remains the biggest obstacle to faster rollout”. Aston Martin revealed plans for its all-electric car in a deal with US firm Lucid, which took a 3.7 percent stake in the brand.

The arrival of electric cars has accelerated the disappearance of the gear lever, according to research. More and more drivers use gasoline or diesel cars with automatic gearboxes, or drive electric vehicles that do not have any gearbox.

The 324,000 drivers who tested the automatic system last year represent three times as many as ten years ago, says What Car?. It also says that only 24 per cent of conventional cars on sale are now available with a manual gearbox.