As is the case with most luxury vehicle brands, Rolls-Royce has begun its transition an electric vehicle future. The luxury British car manufacturer has unveiled its first electric vehicle built from the ground up as an EV, the Spectre. The “spiritual successor” to the Phantom looks much like its stately gas-powered counterparts (apart from a low drag coefficient) but promises to be even quieter and smoother thanks to its electric drivetrain.
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The car will only start shipping towards the end of 2023, so not all specifications are finalised yet. However, it will be all-wheel drive and is expected to accelerate from 0-100kph in around 4.4 seconds. The car will be a boat you can drive and is expected to be the heaviest car the manufacturer has ever made (thanks to the addition of the batteries). Therefore, the range probably won’t be anything special, expected to be around 420km.
As is the case with other Rolls-Royce cars, the ultimate goal here isn’t raw speed, but electrified luxury. And it tells when you look at the interior. The design includes the now-obligatory instrument and infotainment displays, plus a digital fascia for the passenger. In keeping with Rolls-Royce’s bespoke design philosophy, you can even have the company customize the colour of the on-screen dials.
Rolls-Royce has decided to build its first electric vehicle from a bespoke platform, from the ground up as an EV. Other brands dabbled with EVs initially by ripping out the internal combustion engine from a normal vehicle popping in some batteries and electric motor.
The Spectre is available to order now, with first deliveries expected in the fourth quarter of 2023. Pricing starts at $413,500, but that’s before the customization process — expect to pay considerably more to get the design just so, right down to the colours of the signature in-door umbrella.
