- Title: Rolls-Royce teases first all-electric super-luxury car
- Date: 29th September 2021
- Summary: LONDON, ENGLAND, UNITED KINGDOM (FILE - JAN 2020) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF ROLLS-ROYCE "DAWN" CONVERTIBLE VARIOUS OF DRIVER AT THE WHEEL OF A ROLLS-ROYCE "PHANTOM" SPIRIT OF ECSTASY" ORNAMENT ON FRONT OF "PHANTOM" CONTROLS INSIDE THE "PHANTOM" SCREEN SHOWING 360-DEGREE GRAPHIC TECHNOLOGY
- Embargoed: 13th October 2021 15:09
- Keywords: Chief Executive Officer Torsten Muller-Otvos Complete electrification of Rolls Royce by 2030 Rolls Royce Motor Cars Ltd Spectre first fully electric car
- Location: GOODWOOD & LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- City: GOODWOOD & LONDON, ENGLAND, UK
- Country: United Kingdom
- Topics: Company News Markets,Europe,Economic Events
- Reuters ID: LVA00BEWRU3IF
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Rolls-Royce has offered a sneak peek at its first fully electric car, fulfilling a prophecy for electric vehicles made by the marque's founder in 1900 and a promise by the current boss to bring a fully electric car to market this decade.
The new modal, called 'Spectre', is a two door fast-back coupe, smaller and sportier than the rest of the company's cars.
But the only images available are photographs taken at their Goodwood factory in the last week, with the car camouflaged by text quoting Charles Rolls saying electric cars are "perfectly noiseless and clean".
"A very significant day for us. It is the first step into the electrification of the brand. We're announcing today that Rolls Royce goes full electric by 2030 and we are also announcing that we are bringing the first full electric Rolls Royce into the market by the end of 2023. So first clients will take delivery of this beautiful car in two years from now," CEO of Rolls Royce Motor Cars, Torsten Muller-Otvos, told Reuters.
The company said Spectre will now begin 2.5 million kilometres of testing, equivalent of 400 years of normal driving, before the first deliveries at the end of 2023.
"Spectre reflects in a perfect way what this car stands for, bold, powerful, a bit menacing, but on the other side also very elegant, smooth and that is a perfect fit for this beauty we're going to bring into the market soon," Muller-Otvos said.
Rolls Royce has been experimenting with electric drivetrains for more than a decade.
"What you see is not a prototype. It's the real thing. So that is how the car in its form will also look later and technical details we will unveil maybe in a year from now. Let's see," he said.
Even before it was founded, Henry Royce made dynamos and electric motors and patented the bayonet-style light bulb fitting.
However, it was his partner Charles Rolls who truly saw the electric future his company is now pursuing.
But some things never change. How much a new Spectre will cost their wealthy customers is met with an old saying, "if you ask for the price, you probably can't afford it," Muller-Otvos said.
(Production: Stuart McDill) - Copyright Holder: FILE REUTERS (CAN SELL)
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