In late 2021, Rolls-Royce announced its first fully-electric car.
However, rather than announcing a model close to launch, the company said that “on-road testing of its first fully electric motor car is imminent,” and that the car itself will only come to market in the fourth quarter of 2023.
The electric Rolls-Royce was given the name Spectre – marking the fourth name in the Rolls-Royce catalogue that refers to an other-worldly apparition – following the Phantom, Wraith, and Ghost.
Rolls-Royce and the electric car
The development of Rolls-Royce’s first electric vehicle (EV) was put on hold for roughly 121 years.
According to the manufacturer, one of its founders Charles Royce in April 1900 said the electric drivetrain is ideal, thanks to its noiseless, vibrationless, smell-less, and clean nature.
However, the supporting infrastructure for the electric car was not there at the time and the automaker delayed its EV plans until the technology was able to support its vision.
Although the company dabbled in EV technology with its 2011 102EX and 2016 103EX, it never went all-in on a consumer-facing model.
“Until now. Now is the time to change the course of the future of luxury,” said Rolls-Royce when it announced the Spectre.
Starting with the Spectre, Rolls-Royce is transitioning to an electric-car-only future and by 2030 it “will no longer be in the business of producing or selling any internal combustion engine products”.
Spectre development
As the Spectre is nearing on-road testing, most of the details such as its chassis and powertrain are set in stone.
Unfortunately, we do not yet know what size battery or electric motors the Spectre will use, but it is confirmed it will sit on the company’s aluminium chassis that debuted on the 2017 Phantom.
As the “scalable and flexible” chassis is a proprietary technology, Rolls-Royce was able to tailor the initial architecture to support the electric powertrain that would come to market nearly seven years later.
This will give the EV a true Rolls-Royce driving feel and make sure the Spectre meets the “extremely high expectations” of its clients, said the company.
In the two years between its first teaser and its market launch, the Spectre will undergo over 2.5 million kilometres of on-road testing around the globe, simulating 400 years of private use.
“You will see these test cars on roads, around the world. Look out for them – they will be in plain sight. They will be tested in all conditions and over all terrains,” said Rolls-Royce.
Rumours
Recent spy shots by Autocar showed the clearest photos of the Spectre.
The EV has started its long on-road-testing journey wrapped in the same camouflage used in the company’s promotional materials.
It has a swept-back, two-door design with a long nose and aggressive shoulder line, similar to the petrol-powered Wraith.
While it’s not yet confirmed, there are rumours the Spectre will replace the Wraith come 2024 as it and the Dawn are the only models still using a BMW-built chassis.
Giving credibility to these rumours is the fact that the Wraith and Dawn were both withdrawn from the U.S. market last year, reports Autocar.
Power
Looking at what the BMW Group currently has available, there is a possibility that the new BMW iX M60’s setup will be used to drive the Rolls-Royce.
With Rolls-Royces known for being powerful, smooth, and sophisticated, BMW’s most-powerful electric motor presents a good candidate to propel the ultra-rich.
With a total battery capacity of 111.5kWh and an electric motor strapped to each axle, the iX M60 puts out 397kW and 1,015Nm in everyday driving conditions, although this can be increased to 455kW and 1,100Nm.
Rolls-Royce Spectre spy shots by Autocar
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