Rolls-Royce reveals company's first fully electric car
The West Sussex-based luxury car maker has unveiled the all-new Spectre
Rolls-Royce is developing its first fully electric model, the luxury car maker has announced.
The firm, which is headquartered at Goodwood in West Sussex, expects the car, named Spectre, to be available by the final three months of 2023.
Chief executive, Torsten Muller-Otvos, said: "Today is a seminal moment, the most significant day in the history of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars since the company was founded in 1904.
"This extraordinary new product will elevate the global all-electric car revolution.
"Range and charging time is important in getting this right, we were thinking about going electric for quite a while.
"We are creating the first and finest super-luxury product of its type."
The company said Spectre will "undertake the most demanding testing programme in Rolls-Royce's history".
It will cover 1.6 million miles, which is equivalent to more than 400 years of typical use for a Rolls-Royce car.
Spectre will be tested in "all conditions and terrains around the world" to push it "to the limit", the firm added.
Rolls-Royce has been experimenting with an electric powertrain for several years.
In 2011 it revealed the 102EX, a prototype all-electric version of the Phantom.
Five years later it unveiled the fully electric concept 103EX, which represented its vision for several decades into the future.
The UK plans to ban sales of new petrol and diesel cars from 2030, with hybrids prohibited from 2035.
A number of manufacturers have announced commitments to shift from electric and diesel engines.
Ford announced in February that it will sell only electric cars in the UK and Europe by 2030.
This came two days after Jaguar made the same pledge but from 2025.
Ferrari has pledged to release hybrid cars by 2030, while Bentley plans to go fully electric by the same date.