First Look: Rolls-Royce’s New Electric Offering is Taking Shape

There’s nothing hotter in the motoring world today than the speed with which cars are electrifying. At this point there are very few labels that haven’t either released an EV or hybrid into the market or announced an upcoming model. Now it seems that legendary label Rolls Royce is joining in on the fun with their 2023 release of the new Spectre, an exceptionally beautiful new coup with the heart of an electric lion. 

Like the majority of European car makers - with the (possible) exception of the Italian supercars like Ferrari and Lamborghini who are attempting to delay the transition, which we’ve covered in the past - Rolls Royce is striving to meet a 2030 deadline set by the EU for going electric.  

With Rolls joining peers like Aston Martin, with the electric Valkyrie, and Porsche, with the new Taycan , the company is good company, well-poised with the transition. But what makes this legacy brand stand out?   

Like its elusive namesake, the Spectre has been kept under tight wraps, so there’s not a lot of information out there to gage its future. But some eagle-eyed photographers spotted a prototype driving around the Rolls Royce test track in England, so now we have a much better idea of the its shape. And as the British might say – it is of the utmost beauty and elegance… tally-ho, mate. 

It looks like its design is inheriting the spirit and form off the Wraith,  an extraordinary car by Rolls that was meant to compete with the Bentley Continental in the British upper crust car wars.  

The Wraith was, by far, the fastest Rolls ever produced with a turbo charged 6.6L V12 that could get you up to 60 on the dial in 4.4 seconds. Quite an achievement for a brand that is generally known for heavier and therefore not as zippy models like the Phantom, which weighs over 5,000 lbs. (that’s about as much as an Escalade).  

That said, the Wraith, however, has been discontinued in the U.S., and is set to be discontinued in Europe in 2023. According to the company, its reasoning for the move is to concentrate on the classic Rolls Royce style, whereas the Wraith was underpinned by the BMW 7-series, providing  a crucial clue about what we can expect from the Spectre in terms of performance. 

The BMW 7-Series has an electric version that was recently confirmed as the new i7, and if the Wraith modeling means that past is precedent then the breadcrumbs are leading us toward the BMW iX,  the all-electric SUV with an eDrive powertrain the German automotive luxury giant says will power its i7 model.  

The takeaway here is that while it seems Rolls may be moving away from the beautiful gas-powered Wraith and replacing with the sensational electric-powered Spectre, this car will be well worth the wait.

Related: New Hummer EV Hits the Road: Large & In Charge  ​