Aston Martin’s road to electrification remains uncertain, as CEO Adrian Hallmark acknowledged that a segment of the brand’s affluent clientele has an intense aversion to electric vehicles. Hallmark, who took the helm in October, said customer resistance is a key factor in the brand’s shifting EV strategy, which has seen the debut of its first all-electric model repeatedly delayed.
“There are two different customers,” Hallmark told Automotive News. “One hates [EVs] with a deep-rooted passion because they think they are being told they can’t have a V-12 or V-8. There is no better way to trigger a billionaire or multi-millionaire than to use the word, ‘No.’”
Aston Martin had initially planned to launch its first EV this year, then postponed it to 2026, and now expects it to arrive before 2030. The automaker is still determining whether the first electric Aston will be an EV version of its DBX SUV or an entirely new model, potentially an all-electric hypercar.
Luxury automakers across the industry—including Bentley, Rolls-Royce, and Mercedes-Benz—are recalibrating their EV strategies amid fluctuating consumer demand. While some wealthy buyers are eager to adopt electric technology, others remain deeply committed to internal combustion, particularly in the supercar and ultra-luxury segments.
Despite waning enthusiasm for EVs, Hallmark reaffirmed that Aston Martin will eventually go electric.
“Even if Donald Trump says we don’t think electric cars are good anymore, California is still going to ban combustion engines in 2035, as are 14 other states,” Hallmark said. “We will have our first electric car in this decade. But we’ll add plug-in hybrid derivatives as well through to 2035.”
The success of the DBX SUV has fueled speculation that Aston Martin might expand into higher-volume luxury models, but Hallmark dismissed the notion, pointing to the limits of SUV pricing in the ultra-luxury market.
“The £1 million SUV doesn’t exist yet,” Hallmark said. “Which brings us to another truism: the most valuable cars on earth have two doors.”
As Aston Martin balances tradition with technological evolution, its approach to electrification remains a work in progress, guided as much by customer sentiment as by regulatory mandates.
Elizabeth Puckett