Rolls-Royce Spectre, luxury electric super coupé

Spectre is the Rolls-Royce that changes everything – the world’s first ultra-luxury electric super coupé, ushering in the marque’s bold new all-electric future. Crucially, it is a Rolls-Royce first and an electric car second: no concessions or compromises in terms of interior space, comfort, performance or ride quality have been made– indeed, all have been refined and augmented by the car’s underpinning architecture and engineering.

 

In September 2021, Rolls-Royce Motor Cars confirmed it had begun testing of the first model in its history to be conceived and engineered from the beginning as an electric car. That testing programme extended to more than 2.5 million kilometres in every extreme of terrain and temperature, simulating over 400 years of normal use. A year later, in October 2022, Spectre was unveiled to the world: an audacious promise kept, and a monumental technical undertaking completed.
 

 

As the first fully-electric Rolls-Royce ever made, Spectre proves that battery-electric technology has entirely come of age, and can be successfully deployed at the very apex of automotive excellence, luxury and performance. It also represents an epochal technological and intellectual shift for the marque: by the end of 2030, its entire product portfolio will be fully electric; Rolls-Royce will never again produce a new model with an internal combustion engine.

 

Spectre has created an entirely new class of motor car: the ultra-luxury electric super coupé. The all-electric powertrain takes the signature Rolls-Royce experience – instant torque, silent running and the sense of one imperceptible gear – and enhances it for a new generation of clients. Its ‘Decentralised Intelligence’ system enables free and direct exchange of information between thousands of individual vehicle functions, further elevating the marque’s celebrated ‘magic carpet ride’. And in its contemporary yet timeless aesthetic, it takes the brand’s design language and Bespoke capabilities into a new, electric age.

 

 

A generously proportioned, visually striking two-door fastback, Spectre is the spiritual successor to the fabled Phantom Coupé. Its intimate interior provides a perfect canvas for Bespoke personalisation, complemented by a unique illuminated fascia and the first Starlight Doors ever specified in a production Rolls-Royce.

 

 

No two Spectre clients are exactly alike, but they generally share a keen appreciation of fine materials and craftsmanship, and a marked preference for uncluttered, minimalist design free of ostentation and superfluity. Often younger, self-made and self-confident people, many Spectre clients embrace contemporary ideas around sustainability, authenticity, conscientiousness and longevity. As one of the world’s most desirable luxury goods, Spectre is an extension of the people who commission it, reflecting their individual personalities and values, as well as symbolising their achievements.

 

 

Spectre is the fourth series Rolls-Royce to be built on the Architecture of Luxury platform, which is unique and proprietary to Rolls-Royce Motor Cars. In a farsighted move reminiscent of Charles Rolls’ famous prophecy, it was deliberately conceived from the outset to accommodate an electric powertrain as and when the technology became available. It comprises an all-aluminium spaceframe that is infinitely scalable and modifiable around four fixed points, one at each corner of the motor car. This inherent flexibility allows Rolls-Royce to adjust the bulkhead, floor, crossmembers and sill panels in a way most appropriate to each individual product.
With Spectre, Rolls-Royce engineers unlocked previously unexplored potential in the concept. The sophisticated extruded aluminium sections and integration of the battery into the structure make Spectre’s spaceframe 30% stiffer than in any previous Rolls-Royce. The architecture also allowed engineers to place the floor halfway between the sill structures rather than above or underneath them.

 

 

With Spectre, Rolls-Royce committed to an uncompromised electric future by specifying an all-electric drivetrain rather than a hybrid solution. It is fitted with two Separately Excited Synchronous Motors (SSMs). The front electric motor produces 190kW / 365 Nm, with the rear motor delivering 360kW / 710 Nm. In performance terms, this equates to an internal combustion engine of 430kW (584 hp) with 900Nm of torque. In terms of acceleration, Spectre achieves 0-60mph in 4.4 seconds (0-100km/h in 4.5 seconds).

 

In establishing an appropriate range for Spectre, the marque first engaged with clients, to understand their requirements. The confirmed range of 530km (329 miles) WLTP goes beyond these requirements, confirming that Spectre fits perfectly into the lifestyle of Rolls-Royce clients, who have an average of more than seven cars in their garage to choose from for any occasion, and who drive an average of 5,100km in their current Rolls-Royce per year.

 

 

Charge time from 10-80% is 34 minutes using a 195 kW (DC) fast charger: this will also produce sufficient charge for 100km in around nine minutes. Spectre has a 102kWh lithium-ion battery, made using cobalt and lithium from strictly controlled sources in Australia, Morocco and Argentina: the battery cells are produced using 100% green electricity. It has been extensively tested in temperatures ranging from -40°C to +50°C: Spectre’s on-board thermal management system maintains an optimum operating temperature at all times.

 

Spectre’s design draws inspiration from worlds far beyond automotive, including haute couture, modernist sculpture, nautical design, tailoring and contemporary art. In particular, the design takes cues from the clarity and precision of line and intelligent use of reflection in modern racing yacht styling.

 

Spectre’s interior contains a wealth of technologically advanced Bespoke features. For the first time on a series production Rolls-Royce, these include Starlight Doors, which incorporate 4,796 softly illuminated ‘stars’. If they wish, customers can alternatively choose a backdrop of Canadel panelling, hand-crafted from a range of exquisite wood. As with all Rolls-Royce motor cars, Spectre’s interior suite offers clients near-infinite Bespoke possibilities.