Rolls Royce unveils its first electric car
Luxury car maker Rolls Royce has unveiled its first electric car. The firm says the Spectre heralds a ‘bold new chapter’ for the marque.
The first of the two-door coupes – presumably your chauffeur will tilt the front seats after he’s opened the door for you – will be delivered to customers at the end of 2023.
The price, says the manufacturer, is pitched between the £260,000 Cullinan SUV and the £360,000 Phantom – in other words, somewhere between the price of the average house in Swindon and the price of the average house in Bristol.
Rolls Royce CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said: “This incredible motor car, conceived from the very beginning as our first fully-electric model, is silent, powerful and demonstrates how perfectly Rolls-Royce is suited to electrification.
“Spectre’s all-electric powertrain will assure the marque’s sustained success and relevance while dramatically increasing the definition of each characteristic that makes a Rolls-Royce a Rolls-Royce.
“It states the direction for the future of our marque and perfectly answers a call from the most discerning individuals in the world to elevate the electric motor car experience, because Spectre is a Rolls-Royce first and an electric car second.
“This is the start of a bold new chapter for our marque, our extraordinary clients and the luxury industry. For this reason, I believe Spectre is the most perfect product that Rolls-Royce has ever produced.”
The Spectre offers 900Nm of torque from its 430kW powertrain and is anticipated to achieve 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds.
It’s range is expected to be around 320 miles – after all, there’s no point being minted and still suffering range anxiety.
The firm revealed that the car had been tested on the French Riviera. “Fifty-five per cent of testing is taking place on the very roads that many production Spectres will be driven on,” said the manufacturer.