Rolls Royce 3.0 is on the horizon, and we couldn’t be more excited for the future of the marque. If this is news to you, back in September 2021 Rolls-Royce Motor Cars made an historic announcement by confirming that it had commenced testing of the first all-electric Rolls-Royce in history, Spectre. Now 6 months later, testing is well underway to solidify the Phantom-scale Electric Super Coupé.
Rolls-Royce has built a reputation for creating what are regularly described as the best cars in the world using internal combustion engines. Yet, the idea of electrification is in fact familiar to the brand. Henry Royce, one of the marque’s founder, began life as an electrical engineer and dedicated much of his life to creating internal combustion engines that simulated the characteristics of an electric car – silent running, instant torque, and the sensation of one endless gear. When Charles Rolls drove a 1900 electric car named the Columbia, he made a prophecy that the electric car would become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged. Spectre becomes the fulfillment of this prophecy, and also represents a promise kept from 2011 when Rolls-Royce showcased a fully electric Experimental Phantom concept named 102EX.
As a true luxury brand, Rolls-Royce subjects their products to extreme testing to ensure each system is operational and functions in an array of environments. Beginning testing at the Bespoke facility just 55km from the arctic circle represents the first ‘lessons’ in a finishing school that will form the foundations of a motor car worthy of the marque. Through vigorous processes that are common to the automotive industry such as noise, vibration, and harshness tests – along with the added component of winter testing defined as ‘de-escalated time’ – enables incredible accuracy and control in creating the Rolls-Royce experience using Spectre’s chassis control systems, powertrain management and electronics control.
Rolls Royce Spectre will continue its global testing programme, completing nearly two million kilometres before the marque’s engineers will consider this undertaking complete prior to first customer deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2023.
“The announcement of every new Rolls-Royce motor car carries a great weight of expectation, but Spectre is unquestionably the most anticipated product in the marque’s modern history. This is because it is much more than a product. It is a symbol for our bright, bold electric future, and it represents a seismic shift in our powertrain technology.
It is for this reason that we have created a testing programme that is as significant and historical as Spectre itself. The extraordinary undertaking of educating Spectre to think and behave like a Rolls-Royce will cover 2.5 million kilometres, which is a simulation of more than 400 years of use for a Rolls-Royce. Today, I can confirm that 25% of this journey is now complete, and the results have met our most ambitious expectations.”
Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief Executive Officer, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars
