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Aston Martin Prepares Heritage EV Conversion Program For Classic Models

Remember when Jaguar took the veil off an electric E-Type concept with a 40-kWh battery and a range of 170 miles (270 kilometers)? It appears Aston Martin is joining in on the action with the Heritage EV program, which will kick off in 2019 to ensure that the British automaker’s “glorious past also has a sustainable, bright, and exciting future.”
Aston Martin DB6 Volante EV concept 15 photos
Photo: Aston Martin
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Come again? Swapping the 4.0-liter straight-six engine and five-speed manual transmission from a DB6 Volante isn’t sacrilege, but something even worse considering how rare these babies are. Aston Martin produced 1,788 examples of the breed from 1965 to 1970, including 140 convertibles.

Charles, Prince of Wales, is one of the best-known DB6 Volante owners. His car, which Charles owns since his 21st birthday, now runs on bioethanol from Green Fuels. Believe it or not, the Berkeley-based outfit sources the fuel from British grapes!

Turning our attention back to the electric DB6 Volante, group chief executive Andy Palmer said: “We are very aware of the environmental and social pressures that threaten to restrict the use of classic cars in the years to come. Our Second Century Plan not only encompasses our new and future models, but also protects our treasured heritage.”

And now, imagine how the automotive world would look like 200 years in the future. If every Aston Martin from the 20th century would be converted to run on electricity, how would the youngsters of the 2200s understand the aural qualities of the DB6 Volante?

A better idea for Aston Martin would be to reproduce the DB6 Volante from the original blueprints - minus the engine and transmission - then stick an electric motor or two and call it a day. According to Paul Spires, the man in charge of Aston Martin Works, the automaker foresees collectors “adding another dimension to their collection by commissioning EV-converted heritage cars.”

Regardless of how drastic the world’s government will become with fossil-fuel cars, the market for classic cars like the DB6 Volante won’t go down. And as it is the case with today’s collectors, originality is the most important aspect in the eyes of a collector.

Given these circumstances, we’re still finding hard to understand what Aston Martin is hoping to achieve with this program. But giving props where they’re due, the Gaydon-based automaker has “the ability to reinstate the original powertrain if desired.”
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About the author: Mircea Panait
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After a 1:43 scale model of a Ferrari 250 GTO sparked Mircea's interest for cars when he was a kid, an early internship at Top Gear sealed his career path. He's most interested in muscle cars and American trucks, but he takes a passing interest in quirky kei cars as well.
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