Hydrogen the way ahead, says Aston

The boss of Aston Martin delivered an electric shock to the Frankfurt Motor Show – by rubbishing the current trend for battery-powered cars.

Shortly after unveiling the new four-door Rapide, Dr Ulrich Bez said that the growing push towards plug-in motors would prove to be unworkable for at least 10 years.

He said: “The technology for these systems will not become truly usable until at least 2020. Real-world driving will highlight their weaknesses.” He added: “It is not something Aston Martin is working on, and it will not represent a true alternative to the combustion engine for a long time.” Instead, Dr Bez called on the entire automotive industry to focus on hydrogen fuel cell technology, and said that Governments should create incentives for their development.

Meanwhile, the firm took the fight to the Rapide’s main competitor, the Porsche Panamera, as the two were shown on stands just metres apart. The Rapide is powered by the 470bhp 6.0-litre V12 engine from the DB9, and will use a Touchtronic 2 gearbox to drive the rear wheels, helping it to do the 0-60mph sprint in less than five seconds.

Deliveries are set to begin in 2010, with prices starting at around £150,000.