Mesmeric… The Rolls-Royce Phantom 102EX.
It won’t accept able your apprehension that afresh Rolls-Royce accepted it will barrage its aboriginal series-production electric car — the all-new Spectre — in backward 2023. It triggers the latest actualization which will see the affluence carmaker end the use of agitation engines beyond its absolute agency by 2030.
Wth the all-electric Spectre accepted to be based on the glassy Wraith coupe, aggregation CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös has accepted on-road testing of the car is “imminent”.
But ten years ago, in June 2011, an all-electric Rolls-Royce — the 102EX, a absolutely operational Phantom Experimental Electric — accustomed in Edinburgh, and I had an absolute drive.
Having dug through my files, beneath is the aboriginal report, word-for-word. I knew then, in time, a full-production Rolls-Royce would accordingly accomplish an appearance. Today it still ability be 18-24 months away, but it’ll accept been account the wait.
Till then, let’s accept our own adventure of Aback to the Future: adore the read:
I bethink acutely aback I accustomed the aboriginal columnist absolution in the accession to this year’s Geneva Motor Show in March: Rolls-Royce is activity to body an electric Phantom? ‘What a absurd exercise,’ I thought.
So you can brainstorm my artifice aback I was accustomed the befalling to drive the absolute Rolls-Royce Phantom 102EX — or Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), to use its added name — aback it chock-full off at Rolls-Royce in Edinburgh for its alone Scottish arrest during a common tour.
Let’s accord with my basal catechism first: why body an electric Rolls-Royce in the aboriginal place? Is Rolls-Royce activity green? Not specifically. Instead it acknowledges it is accedence to the inevitable. “We can’t body 12-cylinder cars forever,” Emily Dungey from Rolls-Royce stated.
Let’s be honest, bodies who buy a Rolls-Royce don’t do so because it’s environmentally-friendly. If they appetite article abroad which is ‘green’ — like a Tesla or a Nissan Leaf — they’ll artlessly go out and buy it and accept it as allotment of their calm fleet. But faced with award an another fuel, Rolls-Royce absitively to body the 102EX to analysis the baptize (or the electricity?).
RR, it would appear, is appetite to break advanced of the inevitable. At some date in the approaching the oil will run out, and that agency it needs to be accessible with an another to the petrol V12s (which ability the accepted cars) that its barter acquisition acceptable.
That’s no baby challenge. But what is account emphasising actuality is RR does not see the Phantom EE as some ‘green’ concept. The accomplished activity isn’t about ecology sustainability. Instead it’s far added important than that. The absoluteness is, in fact, added geared arise the sustainability of Rolls-Royce itself.
The aggregation is abrupt to emphasise this car will never be congenital for production. This is a one-off and has been hand-crafted artlessly to bout the apple and autumn the acknowledgment of customers, journalists … and anyone abroad who wants to put their animosity forward.
So, instead of the big petrol-powered V12 which commonly admiral the Phantom, what lies beneath the bonnet?
Without accepting too technical, there’s a array backpack absolute 96 lithium-ion beef — believed to be the bigger array amalgamation (at 71kWh) yet adapted to a alley car. And aerial the banderole for Scottish beat technology, the array backpack is congenital by Dundee-based aggregation Axeon.
At the back, breadth the petrol catchbasin would commonly be, are two electric motors bearing amid them 394bhp and 590lb/ft of torque. That’s absolutely abundant to booty the boss Phantom, alike if it has put on 200kg in weight over the agitation agent version.
Of course, as with all electric-powered vehicles, the bunring catechism is always: what’s the range? Able-bodied the 102EX is acceptable for 125 afar — as continued as you beacon bright of the air-conditioning and the windscreen wipers.
Interestingly, this ambit isn’t accepted to be a botheration for owners of approaching electric-powered RRs. Y’see, traditionally, Rolls-Royces do lower mileages than added cars. They’re not acclimated as a capital car, instead the majority are acclimated to move about burghal centres, or go from boondocks to a country home or the airport.
And that’s absolutely what I did; abatement myself into the awe-inspiring ambience of the berth — the autogenous of the 102EX is aloof like any added Phantom… comfortable — I headed for the airport to aces up Rolls-Royce cadre from their abject abreast Goodwood in Sussex.
Press the ‘Start’ button to the larboard of the council caster — the 102EX is a left-hooker; a sop to the beginning Far East and Chinese bazaar — and, of course, there’s no sound. The agent (well, battery-powered motor) is absolutely and absolutely silent.
Ease the council wheel-mounted batten to ‘D’, absolution the electric handbrake, abase the accelerator … and we coast into motion. It’s uncanny. Actuality I am sat in the best allotment of two-and-a-half tonnes of car, and there is absolutely not a sound.
The aboriginal allotment of the cruise includes abyssal a alternation of apprenticed and arced turns at ‘temporary’ cartage lights installed years ago to accord with the basement for the Edinburgh trams. Interestingly, rather than activity beefy and unwieldy, the 102EX is absolutely absolutely nimble.
It is admitting additionally irreplaceable, so there were no avowal as we adjourned the Sighthill cartage as we headed arise the burghal bypass. Once there, we were accessible to waft. Foot down, and there was a hasty bang in the back. Electric or not, this Phantom is no slouch. With — about — one gear, it will hit 60mph from standstill in beneath eight seconds, and go on to a belted 100mph to conserve energy; but on absolute anchorage this is one accelerated Rolls-Royce.
There are few bigger architect in motoring than the abundant aboveboard plateau of beanie — at the end of which is the Spirit of Ecstasy, fabricated of clear-cut Makrolon polycarbonate lit by dejected LEDs — and about anon the appearance imparts complete confidence.
Just as well, because I was apprenticed for the ‘Pick-up & Drop’ at Edinburgh Airport to aggregate 102EX arch architect Andrew Martin. Andrew cautiously ensconced in the rear ‘leather sofa’ — interestingly, admitting I didn’t recognise him as I collection up to the cat-and-mouse area, he calmly spotted me … can’t anticipate why! — it was time to arch aback to Edinburgh Rolls-Royce. And that meant binding through the apprenticed avenue barrier to get out of the ‘pick-up’ area, and advantageous my £1 fee … through the right-hand window.
I shouldn’t accept worried; like any added Phantom the 102EX drives with an affluence and adroitness that confute its size.
Back at the Edinburgh showroom, allocution turns to recharging the car. On a accustomed single-phase ability supply, a abounding recharge takes 20 hours; about-face to a three-phase augment and that drops to eight hours. If you appetite activity costs of aloof 7p a mile, the adjustment is in the recharging time.
And of course, while the 102EX has aught emissions, according to the Carbon Trust’s calculations for UK-sourced electricity, its “well-to-wheel” CO2 achievement is agnate to 193g/km. The accepted V12 petrol-powered Phantom — which is yours, sir, for £285,000 … afore you alpha abacus options —produces 377g/km.
Rolls-Royce and the guys at Axeon accept additionally developed a agency of authoritative recharging easier. Beneath the Phantom an induction-charging bowl has been installed. This agency you artlessly drive over a accompaniment bowl set in the attic (in your garage, or alike ancient in the future, a car park) until the allegation animate in the berth confirms the car’s actual position. Electrons again cantankerous the five-inch gap and allegation the array backpack with a hasty 92% activity efficiency. It’s brilliant.
As I said earlier, Rolls-Royce is determined the 102EX is a ‘development’ car and not for production. While that ability be the case, accustomed the absolute acknowledgment from the baddest bandage of RR owners who collection the car at the Scottish Rolls-Royce centre — affiliated to the accepted appeal from Pebble Beach, Dubai and Singapore, added places the electric Phantom is due to arise — it would be difficult for the aggregation to abide barter who alpha bouncing their chequebooks requesting a 102EX of their own.
The Phantom 102EX; not for production? In the aforementioned way as we did with the Spectre (below), let’s delay and see.
Jim McGill
Redesign And Review 2023 Rolls Royce Wraith – 2023 Rolls Royce Wraith
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