What's all this about?
It's the Rolls-Royce Spectre, the luxury marque's first all-electric car. While other parts of the BMW Group have already started to electrify, this is the first battery-powered model to come from the luxury brand. The announcement came with a handful of teaser images of a camouflaged prototype, showing a large, sleek coupe, similar in style to the Wraith and with Rolls' familiar Spirit of Ecstasy bonnet mascot up front. However, the Goodwood, West Sussex-based company is just at the start of the Spectre's development, ahead of its launch in the fourth quarter of 2023.
So is this just a test mule?
If so, it's a fairly complete one. Under the skin is the same Architecture of Luxury platform that is used by the current Phantom and Ghost models. This is a set of components that is used exclusively by Rolls-Royce and isn't shared with other BMW Group models (the previous generation Ghost, along with the Wraith and Dawn, shared running gear with the BMW 7 Series). What's more, it was designed from the outset with electrification in mind.
Speaking about Spectre, Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said: "Rolls-Royce has embarked on a historic and unique undertaking, which today becomes a reality. Our designers and engineers have worked relentlessly to bring us here. We are now ready to commence road-testing of the first all-electric Rolls-Royce in history."
"This fundamental change in our powertrain technology requires that we challenge every single aspect of the product before we offer it to the most discerning and demanding individuals in the world, our Rolls-Royce clients," says. "To do this, we have conceived the most demanding testing programme in Rolls-Royce's history. We will cover 2.5 million kilometres (1.6 million miles), a simulation of more than 400 years of use for a Rolls-Royce, on average and we will travel to all four corners of the world to push this new motor car to the limit."
"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 on their multi-million-mile journey that will literally accelerate Rolls-Royce into the future."
Since the Spectre is at the start of its development, there are no specs for its power, performance, battery size, range, charging times or price just yet.
What's with all the writing on the car's disguise?
Those are quotes from company founder, Charles Rolls, who had an opinion on electrification when the development of the motor car was in its infancy. After driving an electric car in 1900, he rather prophetically noted: "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. But for now, I do not anticipate that they will be very serviceable - at least for many years to come."
According to Müller-Ötvös, "Charles Rolls' prophecy has been the subject of constant consideration during the marque's Goodwood era. But we have not been satisfied that available technology could support the Rolls-Royce experience. Until now."
The Spectre is the first step in Rolls-Royce's journey to electrification, which will see the entire range electrified by 2030. While we don't know anything about the technical details, one thing that's certain is that irrespective of its motive power these new models will continue to uphold Rolls' philosophy of building 'the best motor car in the world'.
Liam Shard - 29 Sep 2021