No More V12 Engines

Its split headlights, ultra-slim upper headlights, and far shorter Pantheon grille are all drastically different than the Wraith’s. However, in profile and from the rear, the Spectre looks like an updated, sharper, sleeker version of the Wraith. There are some nice unique touches, though. For instance, the shoulder line is crisp and looks sporty, its window trim is sharp, and its front end seems to be a bit shorter and lower, due to not having a V12 under hood.

The new Spectre is built on the brand’s all-aluminum Architecture of Luxury platform. It’s a flexible platform, designed to accommodate either internal combustion or electric powertrains, and it’s both lightweight and stiff. In fact, due to the battery tray being integrated into the floor of the chassis, the Spectre is 30 percent stiffer than any previous Rolls-Royce. Interestingly, the battery also acts as 700 kg of sound insulation, making the car even quieter inside.

Replacing the old 6.75-liter twin-turbocharged V12 is a pair of electric motors. Rolls doesn’t have any official power figures just yet, as the powertrain is still being refined. However, the current prediction from Rolls is that the Spectre will make 577 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. The initial performance estimate is a 0-60 mph time of 4.4 seconds.

260 Miles Range

But the important bit is range. How will customers respond to have a bit less convenience with the Spectre than any other previous Rolls? Its battery pack should provide around 260 miles of range, which isn’t horrible but it isn’t great, either. That range estimate is with 23-inch wheels and with its 6,559 lb curb weight. Will Rolls customers being okay with being on a 130 mile leash, lest they wait 30 minutes to charge up in public? It’s going to be interesting to see how customers handle this. 

Like with the new Ghost, the Spectre will have Rolls’ Planar suspension setup, which can read the road ahead and prepare the suspension for bumps ahead of time. It can also decouple the anti-roll bars, which allows the wheels to move independently of each other. Not only does that remove the twitchiness of stiff anti-roll bars on the highway but it also improves ride quality.

Rolls-Royce says it’s still testing the powertrain to get its power figures and refinement finalized. Though, don’t expect to see any definitive answers any time soon. Rolls claims it will have official figures before its market launch in Q4 2023. 

The post Rolls-Royce Spectre Electric is Finally Here! appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

On and Off Track Testing

The first half of its French testing session took place at the Autodrome de Miramas proving ground. The former site of the 1926 Grand Prix, Mirimas is now a high-tech test facility for BMW Group, with 60 kilometers of tracks and closed road courses. There’s 3.1 mile high-speed bowl, handling circuits with tricky cambers and tight corners, and even sections with standing water, all to test the Spectre’s handling, speed, and durability.

Next, Rolls-Royce Spectre is going to spend the rest of its time in France driving through the stunning Provençal countryside. About 55-percent of the Spectre’s testing will take place on the very roads where many of its customers will be driving.

Rolls-Royce isn’t just testing its ride, comfort, cabin noise, powertrain, and range. It’s doing those too but it’s also focusing on the all-new, highly-advanced systems in the Spectre. Not only is the Spectre Rolls’ first electric car, it’s also the most high-tech car the brand has ever made. There are more than 1,000 computing functions, with 25,000 subfunctions, all of which make the Spectre the most digitally complex Rolls in history.

The chassis of the Spectre is stiffer than on any other Roller, it has an advanced electronically controlled roll-stabilization system, the latest Flagbearer suspension system, and active anti-roll boars. The first of which keeps the car nice and flat through corners, so passengers aren’t sloshed around in the back seat. The Flagbearer system uses sensors, cameras, and navigation information to detect bumps in the road and turns up ahead, before the car even reaches them, and it pre-load the suspension. And the active anti-roll bars decouple on straight roads, which not only allows more wheel travel over bumps but it also prevents bumps on one side of the car from affecting the other side.

0.25 Coefficient of Drag

The Spectre is also the most aerodynamic Rolls-Royce ever made. Being an electric car, it needs to be as absolutely efficient as possible, which means it needs the most efficient aero as possible. Thanks to its testing at Mirimas, and the tweaks that came from lessons learned there, the Rolls-Royce Spectre has a coefficient of drag of 0.25, which is great for such a big, brick-like car.

Customers will take delivery in Q4 of 2023.

The post Rolls-Royce Spectre Tests getting close to launch time appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

The BMW-owned marque is going to great lengths to make the Spectre as aerodynamic as possible by even tweaking the iconic Spirit of Ecstasy. The superb figurine adorning all Rolls-Royce models is being redesigned for the new EV to improve airflow as much as possible. While the current statuette stands 100.01 millimeters tall, the new one shown here will be reduced in height to only 82.73 mm.

Even the robes of the Spirit of Ecstasy will have a different shape to not only boost aero but also make them look more realistic. By far the biggest visual change is the stance as the hood ornament will no longer keep her feet together since one leg will be positioned forward. The idea behind this change is to give the impression of “a true goddess of speed, braced for the wind.”

No two Spirit of Ecstasy statuettes will be identical since each will be finished by hand. For the new Spectre electric coupe, her body will be tucked low and her eyes are going to be focused “eagerly ahead.” During the process of redesigning the opulent badge, Rolls-Royce consulted stylists to perfect not only the clothes and posture but also her hair and expression.

Riding on Rolls-Royce’s own Architecture of Luxury platform, the 2024 Spectre is said to get the dual electric motors from the iX M60. As a refresher, BMW’s flagship electric SUV boasts 619 horsepower and up to 1,100 Newton-meters (811 pound-feet) of torque. The iX M60 is equipped with a larger 111.5-kWh battery pack that might be shared with the Spectre, but that remains to be seen.

Since Rolls-Royce’s inaugural EV won’t be launched until the end of next year, prepare for a lot more teasers in the coming months.

Source: Rolls-Royce

The post Rolls-Royce Spectre Teased With Aerodynamic Spirit Of Ecstasy Figurine appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

Ian Grant mentions this early demand has been “very pleasing,” despite the fact Rolls-Royce hasn’t even announced pricing details. However, an educated guess tells us it will command a premium over the V12-powered Wraith coupe. Customers are making deposits via a newly added EV section on the Whispers smartphone app available only for RR owners. In other words, those who have expressed their interest in owning the Spectre already have one of the company’s gasoline cars.

Most Rolls-Royce owners in Australia choose to drive themselves, according to Ian Grant. It’s the main reason why the Spectre is proving to be an early success as buyers want near-instant power delivery. Grant went on to say the company’s first electric car will represent a daily driver for many clients eager to enjoy the immediately available full torque.

Spectre will lead the way for an all-EV lineup by the end of the decade

The luxury brand says Spectre owners will receive assistance to charge their EVs by having access to some stations. Rolls-Royce Australia will make the first deliveries shortly after the world premiere late next year. As with previous product launches Down Under, cars might be flow in to cut the waiting times.

On a related note, Ian Grant said he hasn’t heard any criticism towards Rolls-Royce following the company’s decision to go EV-only from 2030. In addition, the typical wealthy clientele is not rushing for now to own one of the current gasoline models.

Already confirmed to get the Black Badge treatment, the Spectre is rumored to get the potent dual-motor setup from the iX M60. The first electric M SUV packs 610 horsepower and a colossal 1,100 Newton-meters (811 pound-feet) when launch control is active. BMW has rated the iX M60 at 532 hp and 1,016 Nm (749 lb-ft) in normal mode.

[Source: Car Sales]

The post Lots of interest for the Rolls-Royce Spectre electric appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

The man in charge at Goodwood explains “a coupe is very emotional and for us, it was very important that we make a statement.” While we usually associate Rolls-Royce with an older clientele, Mueller-Oetvoes says the British ultra-luxury brand has the youngest customer demographic among all BMW Group brands – including MINI – as the average RR buyer is 43 years old.

It is worth noting the Spectre will act as an indirect replacement to the Wraith, which has been pulled out of the US market because of more stringent emissions law. The coupe introduced in 2013 is one of the last models to ride on a BMW-sourced platform, along with its convertible counterpart – the Dawn. It’s too soon to say whether the Spectre will spawn a version with a folding top, but it seems very likely.

Technical details remain shrouded in mystery, with Mueller-Oetvoes only saying the range provided by the battery pack will be “sufficient.” He provided a similar answer regarding the Spectre’s power, so we don’t have any concrete details about the EV aside from the fact it will share the same platform as the latest Ghost and Phantom. The two sedans ride on the Rolls-Royce bespoke Architecture of Luxury that has also underpinned the Cullinan SUV.

Rolls-Royce’’s head honcho says the Spectre will not only “look very different” than the outgoing Wraith, but it will also feel “very different.” He went on to specify replacements for current models will switch to EV power and in eight years from now, there aren’t going to be any V12 models left. However, RR is not done with new combustion-engined models as there are still at least one on the way, claims Automotive News Europe citing sources familiar with the matter.

Source: Automotive News Europe

The post Rolls-Royce explains why its first EV will be a coupe appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

However, the 2024 Spectre will be an entirely different car despite its familiar appearance. While the Wraith sits on a BMW platform shared with the 7 Series, the all-new EV will use the same underpinnings as the newest Ghost and Phantom, which ride on the Luxury of Architecture that has been the foundation for the Cullinan SUV as well. In other words, Spectre won’t be related to a BMW model as it’s being developed as a bespoke RR product.

Technical specifications remain shrouded in mystery for the time being, but we do know prototypes will soon embark on a grueling testing procedure by covering a whopping two and a half million kilometers. That’s 1.55 million miles, which Rolls-Royce claims is the equivalent of driving one of its cars for no fewer than 400 years.

Some might argue that using the Luxury of Architecture is a bit of a compromise seeing as how all three vehicles underpinned by this platform have combustion engines. However, Rolls-Royce claims the architecture has been conceived from day one with electrification in mind, meaning there shouldn’t be major differences compared to dedicated EVs.

Rolls-Royce is no stranger to electric vehicles, having developed the spectacular 103EX concept in 2016 and the Phantom-based 102EX back in 2011. Those two never materialized as production models, but the Spectre is happening and it’s only about two years away from hitting the market. It remains to be seen whether it will replace the Wraith or will be an addition to the existing lineup.

The former scenario makes more sense as the Wraith is getting a bit long in the tooth, having been launched all the way back in 2013. If there won’t be a next-gen Wraith with a V12, it would be logical for RR to advertise the Spectre as its natural successor. Considering the Luxury of Architecture is for both ICE and EV models, perhaps the Wraith replacement will offer the best of both worlds.

Source: Rolls-Royce

The post Rolls-Royce Spectre teased as brand’s first production EV appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

Presumably, the Goodwood-based niche automaker will share preliminary details about the first road-going Rolls-Royce to do away with the ol’ combustion engine. It’s unclear whether we’ll see a teaser, be it for a concept car or the actual production model, but we do know there is a long wait ahead for the actual vehicle.

Why is that so? Because Rolls-Royce vaguely says the EV will be launched sometime this decade, which means the zero-emissions model can still be roughly eight years away. The prestigious 117-year-old luxury car manufacturer points out the V12-less automobile “will be launched only when the time is right, and every element meets Rolls-Royce’s technical, aesthetic, and performance standards.”

It will be interesting to see in what ways the EV will be related to the parent company’s electric offerings considering the Architecture of Luxury is a bespoke Rolls-Royce platform rather than an adaptation of a BMW architecture. The underpinnings have been used for the latest Ghost, Phantom, and the Cullinan, but it’s unclear whether the firm’s first EV will be an electric conversion of the same platform or a separate architecture.

If Rolls-Royce is planning to show a concept car first, it will not only follow the 100EX, but also a one-off Phantom Experimental Electric (102EX) from 2011. It removed the 6.75-liter V12 gasoline engine and the traditional gearbox to make room for dual electric motors and a lithium-ion battery pack. The electric Phantom had a combined output of 390 hp (290 kW) and a massive 800 Nm (590 lb-ft) of torque delivered instantly. The 71-kWh battery was good for 120 miles (193 kilometers) between recharging, which obviously wouldn’t be enough for a RR arriving between now and 2030.

Source: Rolls-Royce

The post Rolls-Royce to share details regarding its first electric car on September 29 appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

It might come sooner than you think seeing as how the Goodwood-based brand took the legal measures last year to register the “Silent Shadow” moniker. The name is a throwback to the classic Silver Shadow model and now Rolls-Royce’s CEO has confirmed it will be put to good use on a production model. Speaking with Bloomberg Television, Torsten Müller-Ötvös said that while the EV is “still a secret,” the moniker “will of course obviously be a brand-new Rolls-Royce, rest assured.”

It won’t look as flamboyant as the 103EX seen here, but the fully electric concept unveiled in 2016 was conceived as a window into Rolls-Royce’s future design. It goes without saying RR isn’t willing to go into any details since it’s too soon for that, but a report from Autocar published at the beginning of the year stated the high-end EV would be based on the Phantom.

We’re expecting the Silent Shadow to borrow some of the bits and pieces from the next-generation BMW 7 Series, which will spawn a zero-emissions i7 model to take on the Mercedes EQS. Despite using different platforms, the two models will likely share the electric motors and battery packs. Not only that, but the report goes on to say even the axles might be more or less the same.

There’s a pretty good chance the Silent Shadow will compete in the heavyweight class as the car might tip the scales at around 3,000 kilograms (6,613 pounds). A huge battery with a capacity of more than 100 kWh is expected to offer a minimum of 311 miles (500 kilometers) of range since anything less than that wouldn’t be worthy of the Rolls-Royce hood ornament.

Following the Silent Shadow’s release, a fully electric Cullinan SUV could follow to compete with potential rivals from Maybach and Bentley.

Source: Automotive News Europe

The post Rolls-Royce confirms Silent Shadow is coming as fully electric car appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

Tentatively called “Silent Shadow” as an electric nod to the classic Silver Shadow, the car has allegedly been built already as an early prototype in Munich, Germany at the R&D center belonging to parent company BMW. The styling is said to take after the radically designed 2016 103EX concept pictured here, while the electric motor and battery tech could be adapted from the iX electric SUV.

The BMW Group is believed to be working on the i7 and Silent Shadow together, even though the former will sit on the CLAR platform while the latter could ride on Rolls-Royce’s bespoke aluminum-intensive architecture. Autocar says the two high-end EVs will share many of the bits and pieces to speed up development while cutting costs in the process.

The i7 and Silent Shadow are expected to share the BMW-made electric motors and Samsung SDI-supplied batteries. The report goes on to mention the Silent Shadow is being engineered to accommodate both rear- and all-wheel-drive configurations. Interestingly, we’re hearing the battery will have a capacity of “well over 100 kWh.” It certainly is going to need a supersized battery considering the car is tipped to weigh more than 3,000 kilograms (6,613 pounds) while still offering at least 311 miles (500 kilometers).

It’s unclear when the Silent Shadow will see the light of production day, but it’s a known fact Rolls-Royce can’t rely on the V12 indefinitely given the increasingly stringent emissions laws. For this reason, RR is reportedly working on a pure electric Cullinan as well. It’s slated to hit the market around 2025 with the all-wheel-drive system and dual electric motors adapted from the BMW iX.

Source: Autocar

The post Rolls-Royce reportedly planning Silent Shadow EV with massive battery appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.

The company announced the production start for its project, meant to create timeless icons without any tailpipe emissions. The British outlet will be making 30 such classic EVs which will be split between the Phantom V and the Silver Cloud. Prices for one of these start at around $460,000 and they can go up pretty high, depending on what you want from the final product. However, judging by the pics, they might just be worth it.

Lunaz says it can convert any kind of Silver Cloud model, and since there have been quite a few variations (four-door limousine, two-door coupé and drop head coupé from the I, II and III Series) you can have your pick. The transformation process include taking out the engine and transmission and replacing them with an electric motor and a set of batteries. There’s no mention as to what kind of power the cars will be making or the performance they bring to the table though.

However, Lunaz does say the battery pack has a capacity of 120 kWh and should offer a range of 300 miles, which is probably more than you could’ve gotten out of a tank of gas on these cars in the first place. There’s also no mention of the charging times. We are told that all the modern commodities you’ve grown used to recently will be available. For example, the AC system is changed completely, while a modern navigation system is also added, along with some screens.

The eco-friendly characteristics of the car are complemented by the leather used inside, which is said to be “the very finest sustainably-sourced leather”… whatever that means. What is quite interesting though is that the Phantom V is built in an 8-seat configuration.

There’s a front bench for three occupants, rear bench for a further three and two ‘occasional’ seats. It all sounds pretty interesting but we’d love a few more details about these cars, asking for at least a cool half a million dollars. In the meantime, the pictures look absolutely stunning.

The post Lunaz launches two classic Rolls-Royce cars with electric powertrains appeared first on EVGLOBE - News on Electric Vehicles and Hybrids.