Rolls Royce Announces Its First All-Electric ‘Ultra Luxury Super Coupe’

Rolls-Royce pledged a year ago to make its fleet fully electric by 2030. “In 1900, Rolls-Royce co-founder, Charles Rolls, prophesised an electric future for the motor car…providing there was sufficient infrastructure to support it,” the automaker said. With its signature Rolls-Royce grille and sleek, aerodynamic design, the Spectre just might be the perfect catalyst for the brand’s evolution into a more modern lineup.

The new vehicle is the spiritual successor to the Phantom Coupé, a grand tourer the automaker first introduced back in 2008. Both are two-doors with laid-back silhouettes, and while the Spectre isn’t quite as big as its inspiration, the models share Rolls-Royce’s all-aluminum “Architecture of Luxury.” The Spectre borrows a revamped version of the Ghost’s Planar suspension, which uses a camera system to monitor the road and adjust its air springs and adaptive dampers in real time. Spectre’s iteration allows for temporary antiroll bar decoupling, which creates a softer ride when navigating road irregularities.

The Spectre’s all-electric powertrain will provide ​​430 kilowatts of power and 900 Newton meters of torque, bringing the vehicle’s expected 0-to-60 miles per hour time to 4.4 seconds. While this might not be as fast as the now-unavailable Tesla Model S Performance (2.3 seconds) or Porsche Taycan Turbo S (2.6 seconds), the Spectre packs an extra 1,000 pounds or so, making it relatively lithe for its 6,000-plus pound weight. Rolls Royce also expects the Spectre to have a single-charge range of 320 miles, which will be continually tested during a lengthy 1.5 million-mile journey to simulate more than 400 years of use.

Interior-wise, the Spectre will maintain the level of extravagance and detail that Rolls Royce fans have come to expect. Its new front seat design will incorporate the brand’s Bespoke stitching, embroidery, and piping, while the coach doors can be customized with wood paneling. A digital dashboard with Rolls Royce’s SPIRIT software will stretch across the driver’s side and center panel, displaying endlessly-customizable gauges. For the first time on a series production Rolls-Royce, the Spectre will be available with Starlight Doors, which incorporate 4,796 tiny illuminated “stars.” Another 5,500 stars will shine on the passenger side of the dashboard when the vehicle is in operation.

The Spectre is already available for pre-order (or “commission,” in Rolls-Royce vernacular), with initial fulfillment expected in Q4 2023. Like other members of the automaker’s fleet, the electric vehicle will cost a pretty penny: the Spectre is anticipated to start at around $350,000, with add-ons bringing the total to approximately $465,000.

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