Rolls-Royce Spectre: Luxury Marque Announces First All-Electric Car, Coming In 2023

The first fully electric Rolls-Royce will be on sale in the last quarter of 2023. The Rolls-Royce Spectre, as it has been named, is already under development, and the EV (electric vehicle) will be underpinned by the brand's spaceframe architecture. Rolls-Royce has also confirmed that its entire portfolio will be all-electric by 2030. The idea of a Rolls-Royce EV was teased two days ago, and now we have not just a name, but a launch date as well. And yes, it uses the British spelling for the name Spectre. Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor said, “Spectre is a name given to otherworldly beings synonymous with great power and apparition; creatures of an alternative realm that make their presence felt through fleeting manifestation. A spectre forces the world to pause. It dominates the space it occupies. Then, as quickly as it appears, it dissipates, leaving a wake of exhilaration, energy, and intrigue. This name perfectly matches the extraordinary Rolls-Royce that we are announcing today – a motor car that makes its presence felt before disappearing into a world inaccessible to all but the very few.”

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The upcoming Rolls-Royce Spectre will be a coupe body style

The Spectre appears to use a similar silhouette as the Rolls-Royce Wraith, with an ample proportion, and coupé body style. It also has low profile energy-saving aerodynamic wheels. The two-door car will no doubt be replete with the finest materials and bespoke trim that all Rolls-Royce models are synonymous with. But it will also boast the latest and most cutting-edge battery management and EV technology from the company's parent – the BMW Group. And will likely have an ample driving range. Müller-Ötvös said, “This is not a prototype. It's the real thing, it will be tested in plain sight and our clients will take first deliveries of the car in the fourth quarter of 2023.” In the interim, test cars will sport a unique camouflage wrap that announces two clear messages in bold text. The first is that the car will be ‘Perfectly Noiseless And Clean'. And the second, perhaps a bit more emotional – harks back to the founding fathers of the Rolls-Royce brand itself – ‘When It Does Not Exist, Design It'. So expect the Spectre to set new benchmarks in the electric luxury vehicle space. Müller-Ötvös adds, “We embark on this bold new future with a huge advantage. Electric drive is uniquely and perfectly suited to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, more so than any other automotive brand. It is silent, refined and creates torque almost instantly, going on to generate tremendous power.  This is what we at Rolls-Royce call ‘waftability'.”

Rolls-Royce says the Spectre will undergo 2.5 million kilometres of testing, which it believes equals 400 years of average usage for a typical Rolls-Royce today. The car will be tested in plain sight in many parts of the world, to ensure the programme covers varying terrains, temperatures, and altitudes. The Spectre will use the dedicated aluminium spaceframe architecture that has spawned recent Rolls-Royce models like the Phantom, Ghost, and Cullinan. The flexible platform is exclusively used by Rolls-Royce, and is not shared with any group brand product. And Rolls-Royce says it was able to integrate electrification into the architecture's initial development, keeping future needs in mind.

The silhouette is said to be similar to the Rolls-Royce Wraith of the upcoming Spectre electric coupe

Plans for the complete electrification of the brand by 2030, brings a pioneering idea full circle. This is because Charles Rolls had prophesied the use of EVs as the ideal choice for powering automobiles. It seems that way back, in the April of 1900, he'd encountered an early electric car called ‘Columbia' and claimed its electric drive to be ideal for all motor cars. Rolls said, “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.” Clearly, he was on to something, and well ahead of its time. In fact, the company's historians say that Sir Henry Royce was also fascinated by all things electrified, and his first venture made dynamos, electric crane motors, and also patented the bayonet-style light bulb fitting.

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Rolls-Royce Motor Cars had unveiled its experimental all-electric Phantom, dubbed the 102EX in 2011. It had also commemorated BMW's 100-year anniversary in 2016 with the Vision 103EX concept. Learnings from both those cars would no doubt have gone into early development for the Spectre. The latter may also provide some clues to its styling, as the Spectre will likely be the first of many Rolls-Royce models that bring a new design language and direction to the brand.