The Spectre Is The First Pure Electric Rolls-Royce

The ultra-luxury EV will deliver a range of up to 520km

Rolls-Royce has made its measured entry into the EV space with the ultra-luxury Spectre coupe. It’s a spiritual successor to the Phantom Coupe, continuing with the stretched hood and fastback-style rear profile. 

When many carmakers have made it a mission to make their electric cars look different from their ICE models, Rolls-Royce has stuck with its rich heritage. The Spectre still looks like a pureblood RR while still integrating several EV-specific elements. 

Up front, you have the trademark Rolls-Royce grille in an illuminated avatar with the vanes angled for aero-efficiency, which is the widest among any car from the British marque.

It also adorns the new Spirit of Ecstasy ornament, which has been redesigned, keeping in mind aerodynamics and coefficient of drag. The Spectre also features the iconic RR headlights placed below the sleek DRLs.

The Spectre gets rear-hinged doors, of course, with a roofline that sits higher than a traditional coupe, but sportier than that of a longer four-door luxury offering. It runs on 23-inch wheels with a triangular inner design, which is the first for any Rolls-Royce. The simplistic, yet elegant, rear profile houses vertical taillight elements that complement its grille in the front. Overall, the Spectre has a drag coefficient (Cd) value of just 0.25.

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Rolls has debuted the Spectre in shade called ‘Chartreuse’ which is said to replicate the green undertones of French liqueur. The ultra-luxurious cabin is finished in a white theme with exquisite wood work on the dashboard, and exquisite leather seats. There is a high-degree of personalisation available with a Rolls-Royce, including the option to customise the interior theme based on the exterior shade that you choose. 

Inside its cabin, you’ll notice another new touch on the Spectre: Starlight doors. The iconic feature of the illuminated headliner of a Rolls-Royce has now been extended to the doors as well which elevates the feeling of its ‘magic carpet ride’, now in the sky and not just looking up at it. There are luxurious seats in the back as well, though better suited for children than grown adults.

For the first time, a Rolls Royce uses a fully digital driver’s display and offers a digital display in the passenger’s side as well. However, it is not a touchscreen unit, but a canvas that can showcase a digital design or digitised art piece or a bespoke welcome animation as commissioned by the owner. It also gets a new ‘Spirit’ digital software with connected car technology which will control most of the functions of the car and an onboard voice-assistant, named Eleanor. 

While the exact specifications for the final road-going version are yet to be revealed, Rolls-Royce has given us some details about the electric powertrain. It carries a 700kg battery pack, likely with a 100kWh capacity, that is claimed to deliver 520km of driving range (WLTP figure). 

The electric powertrain produces 593PS and 900Nm and can sprint from standstill to 100kmph in 4.5 seconds. Final figures will be stated once all testing processes have been completed.

The Rolls-Royce Spectre will go on sale globally towards the end of 2023 and can be expected to come to our shores by early 2024.