Rolls-Royce promises that it’s next automobile, the Spectre, will be fully electric, and that its entire fleet will be electric by 2030.
Better for the environment? Yes.
Lacking in luxury? No.
In fact, the Spectre will sit on the same Architecture of Luxury as all Rolls-Royce automobiles.
The venerable British automaker recently released more details about its first EV, which will be on sale by the end of next year.
When it comes to the Rolls-Royce Spectre there’s a lot to be excited about. Here’s a look:
It will a coupe, likely with rear-hinged doors. With its curved back end and seamlessly built-in spoiler, the Spectre has been compared to the Boat Tail Rolls-Royce cars of the early 20th century. It’s a classic look for an automobile that is said to usher in an electric future for Rolls-Royce. Electric does not mean austere in the world of Rolls-Royce. The Spectre will look, perform and provide all luxury and comfort of a Rolls. And it will also have the iconic grille at the front of the car, albeit a purely cosmetic grille because it’s an EV after all.
It will undergo 1.5 million miles of testing before the world launch at the end of 2023. Rolls-Royce has started on-road testing of its first fully electric car on public roads. Rolls-Royce says it has created the most demanding test program in company history, covering 1.5 million miles in order to simulate 400 years of use. Engineers will evaluate the prototypes in “all four corners of the world to push this new motor car to the limit,” according to Rolls. “They will be tested in all conditions and overall terrains on their multi-million-mile journey that will literally accelerate Rolls-Royce into the future.”
It will be spectacular. It will sit on the same Rolls-Royce Architecture of Luxury platform that underpins the Phantom, Cullinan, and Ghost. That means incomparable ride quality, acoustic characteristics that are unsurpassed, extreme passenger comfort, gorgeous exterior presence, and refined and luxurious interior space.
Its hood ornament will be smaller. As part of its 111th anniversary, Rolls is unveiling a smaller, more aerodynamic Spirit of Ecstasy that will be part of the new Rolls-Royce Spectre – the venerable British brand’s first battery-electric vehicle. The brand’s re-imaging of the classic automotive mascot comes 111 years after the Spirit of Ecstasy was first registered as the specific intellectual property of Rolls-Royce. In her new form, she is more streamlined and graceful than ever before — the perfect emblem for the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever created, according to the automaker. The new version of the Spectre measures in at just 3.26 inches tall, compared to her predecessor’s 3.94 inches. It is not only lower and more dynamic but it closely resembles the drawings made by her creator, illustrator, and sculptor Charles Sykes, in the early 20th century.
It will be fast. Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös told Car & Driver that the Spectre would need to offer at least the same level of performance as that provided by the company’s existing V-12–powered models. That means zero-to-60 mph in a searing 4.3-second zero-to-60-mph and a top speed of at least 155 mph. In fact, Rolls-Royce says the name “Spectre” suits the car “perfectly” because the car is “a silent, menacing creation. Powerful and edgy, but in profile, smooth, sleek, and elegant.” The company has not yet confirmed what batteries the Spectre will use, but it should compare with other top luxury EV’s 470-mile range.
It will be incredibly quiet. Even the non-electric Rolls-Royce cars with V12 engines are super quiet and the Spectre should be even more so. And with such little engine noise that could mean that outside noises like other vehicles, wind, road noises, might need to be tamed with some Rolls wizardry.
The price is still a mystery. It should not surprise anyone that the Rolls-Royce Spectre will come with quite a price tag. Since Rolls vehicles start at $200,000-plus – and even a used version generally starts at $100,000. Car experts are estimating that the Spectre with start at between $300,000 and $350,000.
The Spectre is, in fact, an entirely new Rolls Royce. To sum it all up you can expect classic Rolls Royce luxury, a plethora of options, and an array of highly-customizable packages via the automaker’s Bespoke design service.
In the words of founder Charles Rolls: “The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration, and they should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged.”
That may have been 123 years ago but Rolls-Royce is celebrating its founder’s prophetic vision with the unveiling of a legend.
A re-cap of the Rolls-Royce Spectre’s features:
- The name Spectre was chosen to match the equally otherworldly Rolls-Royce model names such as Ghost, Phantom, and Wraith.
- Rolls-Royce brass called the unveiling of the Spectre the most significant day in the automaker’s history since May 4, 1904, when the company was ideologically born.
- The Spectre will be silent, refined, and capable of near-instant torque while at the same time able to generate tremendous power.
- The fulfillment of Charles Rolls’ prophecy, the Spectre represents a promise kept by the company’s founding fathers.
- The Spectre is the beginning of a new legacy for Rolls-Royce, carrying a name that is both powerful and evocative.
- This is the first stop in full electrification of the entire Rolls-Royce product portfolio by 2030.
