Could the next James Bond be driving an EV powered by Lucid Motors?
The public may not yet know who the next actor will be to fill the polished, often knife-equipped, shoes of M16’s top 00 agent – James Bond, but we do have a better idea of what type of vehicle he may be driving to evade the baddies when he makes his on-screen debut. Following an existing supply agreement with Aston Martin, Lucid Motors’ CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson hinted that James Bond’s next vehicle could be 100% electric.
Ian Fleming’s James Bond franchise has long outlived the UK writer and become one of the most successful franchises of all time. Since the first film adaption of Fleming’s 1958 novel, Dr. No, we’ve seen five different actors (and George Lazenby) portray 007.
The most recent chapters in the Bond saga were a lot grittier and action-packed, led by Daniel Craig, whose 15-year tenure as the British spy ended with a literal bang. While Eon Productions, responsible for a large majority of the Bond films, and distributor MGM have not yet publicly revealed who the next James Bond will be, the role will most certainly live on, as the franchise’s most recent entries garnered some of the highest-grossing box office numbers, even with inflation.
When 007 finally returns to the silver screen, you can expect Martinis, cheeky yet borderline cheesy one-liners, and plenty of chase scenes. As an M16 agent under Her Majesty’s Secret Service, you can also expect 007 to be driving a UK-made vehicle.
Fleming himself wrote that Bond’s character had “once dabbled on the fringe of the racing world,” so the spy has always had an eye for flashy cars (even BMWs in the 90s). While 007 drove an Aston Martin DB Mark III in Fleming’s first three novels, the series’ first film adaptation featured a DB5, which made a return to the screen in 2021’s No Time to Die.
As the vehicle of choice in more than half of the 25 existing Bond films, Aston Martin is undoubtedly the brand associated with the international super spy. It appears that trend will continue with the next James Bond, and according to Lucid CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson, it could be an electric Aston Martin powered by Sapphire.
CEO hints James Bond’s next car may be Lucid powered
During a ribbon-cutting ceremony marking the opening of Phase 2 at its AMP-1 production facility in Arizona, Lucid Motors CEO and CTO Peter Rawlinson was in great spirits in front of a crowd that included plant employees, media, and local politicians.
Following an up-close look at its upcoming Gravity SUV and a peek at its sheet-clad mid-size EV in the pipeline, Rawlinson shared another juicy tidbit regarding a long-term strategic partnership with Aston Martin announced last June.
Through the deal, Lucid Motors will supply its proprietary electric powertrain technology present in the Air Sapphire, including its high-performance twin motor unit, battery tech (not the cells), and Wunderbox charging system. The components will all be built at AMP-1 and shipped overseas to the UK automaker via supply contracts worth over $450 million.
Following the partnership, Aston Martin said it would use Lucid’s technology to help launch its first 100% electric model in 2025. With Lucid-powered Aston Martin EVs on the way, could we see James Bond behind the wheel of one on screen? Peter Rawlinson seems to think so. He shared the following in front of the crowd in AZ when discussing bringing powertrain manufacturing into AMP-1:
It is little wonder that Aston Martin chose our Sapphire technology, and certainly, Lucid will be powering the Aston Martins of the future, and a little bird tells me that maybe Mr. Bond will be powered by Lucid as a consequence. Wouldn’t that be cool?
007 driving an EV? We’ve heard this one before. Aston Martin promised to do it in 2019 with its RapidE concept, but it never came to fruition. Now, with the help of Lucid and its Sapphire powertrain technology, we could very well see James Bond in an all-electric Aston Martin taking on a real-life villain – climate change.
What do you think? Will the studio finally put Bond in an EV? Would that sort of acceleration even be fair to the cronies chasing him through the streets of Morocco or the Furka Pass is Switzerland? Having no engine noise is probably ideal for stealth missions though.
We still need to learn who the next James Bond will be, but when that new 007 dons his first tuxedo, he may be stepping out and into an electric Aston Martin powered by Lucid.
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The US Department of Energy (DOE) today announced $1.2 billion in financing to replace Puerto Rico’s fossil fuel plants with solar and battery storage through 2032.
The DOE’s Loan Programs Office announced two conditional commitments and one loan closing to power producers in Puerto Rico. Each supports a project contracted with the Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority. The announcements include:
- The closing of a $584.5 million loan guarantee to subsidiaries of Convergent Energy to finance a 100 MW solar farm with a 55 MW (55 MWh) battery energy storage system (BESS) in the municipality of Coamo and BESS installations in the municipalities of Caguas (25MW/100MWh), Peñuelas (100MW/400MWh), and Ponce (up to 100MW/400MWh)
- A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $133.6 million to a subsidiary of Infinigen for a 32.1 MW solar farm with an integrated 14.45 MW (4.76 MWh) BESS, and a co-located standalone 50 MW (200 MWh) BESS expansion in the municipality of Yabucoa
- A conditional commitment for a loan guarantee of up to $489.4 million to a subsidiary of Pattern Energy for three stand-alone BESS in the municipalities of Arecibo (50 MW/200 MWh), and Santa Isabel (50 MW /200 MWh and 80 MW/320 MW), and a 70 MW solar farm with an integrated BESS in the municipality of Arecibo.
If all are finalized, these projects would more than double LPO’s support for utility-scale solar generation and battery energy storage in Puerto Rico.
LPO provides low-cost financing and a rigorous due diligence process, making it a valuable resource for Puerto Rico as it works to rebuild an affordable, reliable, and clean energy system. As a result of reliance on imported fuel, the persistent threat of tropical storms, and underinvested infrastructure, Puerto Ricans today face average energy costs that are twice the US average – all while consuming only one-quarter of the energy of the US per capita.
LPO’s initial loan to a power producer in Puerto Rico, Project Marahu, closed in October 2024, and when complete will add more than 200 MW of solar and up to 285 MW of stand-alone energy storage to Puerto Rico’s grid.
Through its September 2023 partial loan guarantee to Project Hestia, LPO also supports virtual power plant (VPP)-ready rooftop solar and battery storage installations in Puerto Rico. As a nationwide project, Hestia’s sponsor is committed to at least 20% of installations under Project Hestia going to homeowners in Puerto Rico.
As part of its procurement plan, Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority seeks to install 1,500 MW of battery storage and requires a minimum capacity of storage to be co-located with each utility-scale solar project. Energy storage systems currently online in Puerto Rico are being dispatched every day.
When including Marahu, LPO’s closed and conditionally committed financing supports over 100% of the capacity Puerto Rico Electric Power Authority aimed to procure under its initial request for energy storage project proposals, the first of six.
Read more: Cleantech investments to top fossil fuels for the first time in 2025
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Chevy just introduced new deals on the Equinox and Blazer EV models to make them even more affordable. With 0% interest and a new trade-in bonus, Chevy is offering over $5,000 in savings.
Chevy adds new Equinox and Blazer EV deals in January
Although the Chevy Equinox EV is already “the most affordable” EV in its class with over 315 miles range, it’s getting even cheaper.
Earlier this week, Chevy launched new deals on the 2024 Equinox and Blazer EV models. According to a note sent to dealers, viewed by CarsDirect, the electric SUVs are now available with 0% APR financing for 60 months. You can also choose from 0.9% AP for 72 months and 2.9% APR for 84 months.
This marks the best financing offer on Chevy’s newest EVs to date. The previous best rates were 0.9% APR for 60 months, 3.9% for 72 months, and 5.9% for the longer 84-month option.
On a 7-year $45,000 loan, online auto research firm CarsDirect estimates the new deals amount to around a $5,200 price cut. The lower APR rates are already offered on the Chevrolet Silverado EV pickup.
In addition, Chevy is offering a trade-in bonus of up to $3,000 on the Silverado EV and $1,000 on the electric Equinox and Blazer models. If you choose to lease, the bonus is cut in half: $1,500 for the Silverado and $500 for the electric SUVs.
Chevy’s new EV deals started on January 14 and run through March 3, 2025. The deals come as rivals like Hyundai and Ford recently launched new EV promotions.
On Thursday, Hyundai launched a new promo on the upgraded 2025 IONIQ 5, which includes monthly leases as low as $199 and a free ChargePoint home EV charger (or $400 charging credit). Meanwhile, Ford extended its “Power Promise” program earlier this month, which also includes a free home charger, among several other benefits.
The 2024 Chevy Equinox EV started at $41,900 with up to 315 miles range. Prices for the electric Chevy Blazer start at $43,690 with up to 279 miles range.
If you are ready to try out Chevy’s new electric SUVs for yourself, we’ve got you covered. You can use our links below to view offers on the Chevy Equinox, Silverado, and Blazer EV models near you.
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In the Electrek Podcast, we discuss the most popular news in the world of sustainable transport and energy. In this week’s episode, we discuss non-Tesla EVs getting Supercharger access, Cybertruck sales in the spotlight, Rivian getting some money from Biden, and more.
The show is live every Friday at 4 p.m. ET on Electrek’s YouTube channel.
As a reminder, we’ll have an accompanying post, like this one, on the site with an embedded link to the live stream. Head to the YouTube channel to get your questions and comments in.
After the show ends at around 5 p.m. ET, the video will be archived on YouTube and the audio on all your favorite podcast apps:
We now have a Patreon if you want to help us avoid more ads and invest more in our content. We have some awesome gifts for our Patreons and more coming.
Here are a few of the articles that we will discuss during the podcast:
Here’s the live stream for today’s episode starting at 4:00 p.m. ET (or the video after 5 p.m. ET):
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