New additions to the Rolls-Royce lineup don’t happen very often, and the Specter was the first product from Goodwood to drop the combustion engine. Ahead of the company’s switch to a pure electric lineup in 2030, this coupe will signal the RR’s zero-emissions ambitions and the gradual demise of its iconic V12 engine. Despite debuting today, customer deliveries won’t start until the fourth quarter of 2023, so one percent is a long wait.
What will they get? The most luxurious EV in the world, possible. Some interesting tidbits have been revealed by the BMW-owned brand ahead of today’s reveal, such as a drag coefficient of just 0.25. Even the Spirit of Ecstasy statues had to be gently modified to become slicker as part of a larger effort to maximize efficiency. The Specter will sport 23-inch alloy wheels, making it the first coupe since the 1926 Bugatti Royale to feature large factory wheels.
A large EV requires a hefty battery, so we weren’t surprised when Rolls-Royce announced that the package would weigh 700 kg (over 1,500 lbs). Apart from providing power to the electric motor, the battery will also double as a sound absorber thanks to some clever engineering. Located between the battery roof and the floor there will be cable lines and pipes.
The Specter will not serve as an electric replacement for the Wraith, but rather as a spiritual successor to the Phantom Coupe. It’s set to receive the largest coach door ever seen on an RR, measuring nearly one and a half meters (about 59 inches). The luxury EV is based on Architecture of Luxury, a modular aluminum space frame adapted from the latest Phantom, Ghost and Cullinan. Although the oily parts have been removed, the electrical system is much more complex and takes no less than 7,000 meters of cabling.
The Specter will represent the pinnacle of EV engineering within the BMW Group and the conglomerate’s first coupe to lose ICE.
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