The electric era is upon us and every car maker out there must prepare for it, even those you never thought would do that. Rolls-Royce has been associated with huge V12 engines for as long as we can remember but that time is coming to an end, according to its CEO. Speaking to Autocar in the UK, Torsten Müller-Ötvös confirmed that the company he’s running will go fully electric from 2030 onwards.
The British company will revamp its current lineup in the coming years, but no new combustion models will be produced, making the Mk2 Ghost the final petrol-powered Rolls-Royce. As for the reasons why this move will be necessary, the CEO invoked a number of factors, from the increasing bans on internal combustion engine cars in various countries, to a change in demand from its customers.
Apparently, the average age of the Rolls-Royce buyer has considerably dropped recently, reaching just 43 last year. That means the customers are demanding different things these days and most of the customers the company caters to already own an electric car and know all about them.
As for the models that are slated to come out of Goodwood, using electricity alone to move along, no specific details were offered. However, Müller-Ötvös did say that the entire range will be revamped. That means, after the launch of the already confirmed Spectre model, we will also see electric versions of the Cullinan, Ghost and even Phantom.
As for the pricing… That’s a less relevant aspect when talking about a Rolls-Royce. Their cars have always been exceedingly expensive so incorporating an electric drivetrain into the big picture will not affect the pricing. According to the CEO of the company, “We never price ‘cost-driven’, we price ‘segment-driven’ and ‘substance-driven’,” which probably means the pricing will remain the same and it will still be irrelevant for the customer, no matter what kind of drivetrain the car uses.
