Rolls-Royce will be the first of the BMW Group to completely abandon combustion engines by the end of the decade, with MINI to follow in the early 2030s. Leading the EV way will be the Spectre, which will be released by late 2023. In the meantime, the electric coupe has entered the second testing phase in the French Riviera, at the Autodrome de Miramas facility and on Côte d’Azur roads.
RR says development has reached 40% and the vehicle is already more aerodynamic, with the Cd dropping from 0.26 to 0.25. In addition, rigidity is up by 30% compared to the current crop of models from Goodwood, while the 1.5-meter doors are the longest ever fitted to a Rolls-Royce. We also know it’s getting massive 23-inch alloy wheels and a 700-kilogram (1,543-pound) battery pack, but there is something you won’t find on the Spectre.
Company CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös told Autocar India the Spectre won’t get a Ludicrous Mode akin to Tesla: “That is not our intention. The Spectre will offer waftability in its most impressive form. It is best described by the experience of a Gulf Stream private jet taking off. This is exactly the feeling you will have in a Spectre.”
Similar in size to a Phantom Coupe, the Rolls-Royce among EVs will sit on the company’s proprietary Architecture of Luxury not shared with BMW. The firm’s head honcho claims feedback has been positive since announcing plans to go purely electric in 2030: “It fits quite naturally to Rolls-Royce. Electrics are silent, they’re torquey, they’re powerful. So as long as it delivers the true Rolls-Royce experience in all dimensions, I am not worried about it.”
During the same interview with Autocar India, Torsten Müller-Ötvös didn’t exclude the possibility of taking advantage of the parent company’s BMW expertise in hydrogen fuel cell powertrains. However, the Spectre will be a battery-powered EV, one that will be a Rolls-Royce first and then an electric car, according to the 62-year-old executive.
Source: Autocar India
