Aston Martin receives £9m in government funding for electric cars

Aston will subsequently not take forward a similarly structured deal with another shareholder, Mercedes-Benz, that it had an option on. However, its existing supply deal with Mercedes-Benz for powertrains and electrical architectures was not affected by the Lucid deal, and the EV platform would use a Mercedes electrical architecture.

Aston and Lucid also have a common investor in Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund but Stroll said the firms were talking independently of this.

"After our due diligence, Lucid exhibited the best existing technology with the highest level of horsepower and the smallest battery height," he said. As Aston only wants to have one EV platform to give it the option to launch a model into any segment, that last point is important as it will allow Aston to make the usually-challenging sports cars using Lucid battery technology.

"The target for Aston Martin is to build the highest-performance EVs and we found ourselves [with Lucid] of a similar mindset and very aligned. We are proud to be partners with Lucid," said Stroll.

The start-up currently produces one model – the Lucid Air saloon – offering it with single-, dual- and tri-motor powertrains, of which the most powerful outputs more than 1200bhp. It says its current-generation drive units are individually capable of producing up to 670bhp while weighing slightly less than 74kg apiece.

Aston will get access to Lucid's electric drive units, which house the motor, inverter and transmission in an integrated unit. Lucid boss Peter Rawlinson said that these have 9hp per kg of power density, which is more than double Tesla and eight times that of Hyundai's motors. The firm is also working on motors for racing that have 17hp per kg. 

Aston's electric cars will use four motors, with power outputs potentially up to 1500bhp. "Aston will use four motors, we're three," said Rawlinson, who as well as being Lucid CEO is its chief technology officer. "Aston Martin are taking it to the next level." Four-motor technology will see a twin-motor front axle that will be unique to Aston Martin. 

Lucid will also supply battery cells and modules, and Aston will then use them in a battery pack of its own design. All components will be built in Lucid's factory in Arizona and shipped to the UK. 

Rawlinson said all technology was derivative of that on the Air but with "significant software changes". He added: "The main difference is in thermal integration and battery layout. It will be a different-shape battery pack with a software difference."

Fedeli said he hopes to have the first electric Aston drivetrain working on a test bench by the end of the year and the first mule running on roads by the start of 2024.

The architecture in which the powertrain will be used will be a "fully flexible BEV platform, modular in height and wheelbase", according to Fedeli, who said the platform was being designed to last well into the 2030s. Aston will be able to make a sports car 2cm lower than the current 1273cm Aston Martin Vantage, something enabled by the compact size and design of the Lucid cells. "The most important one is the lowest one," said Fedeli, in reference to the need for Aston to continue to make low sports cars. 

However, the first Aston EV will not be a sports car but an electric SUV, previewed in a teaser sketch released alongside the Lucid news. An electric GT is tipped to follow by 2030 but sports car models are less likely for now.