The “historic” announcement that Rolls Royce prepared us for was indeed about their first fully electric model following the 102EX and 103EX concept cars. This is the all-new Rolls Royce Spectre EV, which is planned to hit the market in the fourth quarter of 2023.
Contradicting earlier rumours suggesting that the first fully electric model could share components with future BMWs, Rolls-Royce made a statement by using its own spaceframe architecture in the new Spectre. The aluminum platform introduced by the Phantom flagship in 2017, is also underpinning the Cullinan, and the Ghost ICE-powered models.
For the Rolls Royce Spectre, however, the scalable spaceframe has been converted to accommodate a fully electric powertrain. The company had integrated its electrification plans into the architecture’s initial design, making it easier to convert it for EVs.
Rolls Royce didn’t only announce the Spectre but also showed us official pictures of a camouflaged prototype. The silhouette of the car looks quite similar to the Wraith, with a long bonnet, a two-door bodystyle, suicide doors, and a sloping roofline. The body retains the characteristic proportions of a Rolls-Royce but it is more muscular with sexy curves and pronounced fenders.
The design of the Spectre makes us believe that it could be Wraith’s fully electric replacement, with a possible cabriolet version replacing the Dawn. These two models were the oldest in Rolls-Royce’s current range so we already knew they were approaching the end of their lifecycle.
Concerning the name of the car, CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvö said that Spectre is usually given to “otherworldly beings synonymous with great power and apparition, creatures of an alternative realm that make their presence felt through fleeting manifestation. A spectre forces the world to pause. It dominates the space it occupies. Then, as quickly as it appears, it dissipates, leaving a wake of exhilaration, energy, and intrigue.”
During the official presentation, Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, referred to the Spectre as “the first and finest super-luxury product of its type” stating that “this is not a prototype. It’s the real thing, it will be tested in plain sight and our clients will take first deliveries of the car in the fourth quarter of 2023.”
Prototypes of the Rolls-Royce Spectre will embark on a 2.5 million km trip in all conditions and over all terrains around the world, simulating 400 years of use before the model is delivered to its first owners in the fourth quarter of 2023.