In the world of electric cars, luxury is defined by Tesla, with new competition coming from Cadillac (the ELR) and BMW (the i8). But those cars could soon be eclipsed by top tier offerings from Bentley and Rolls-Royce.
Rolls Royce 102EX (also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE)); is an experimental Rolls Royce. Primarily designed to spark debate about whether luxury car manufacturers could and should provide cars which use electric, or other alternate drive-train technologies. Its secondary function is to allow Rolls Royce to gain insight into the workings of possible future electric Rolls Royce cars. One of the notable features of the Rolls Royce 102EX is that the figurine on the hood is clear and lights up. The Rolls Royce 102EX uses a 96 cell lithium-ion battery instead of the 6.75 liter V12 petrol engine used in the Phantom. This battery system is used in conjunction with two water-cooled motors and 3-phase battery chargers. In contrast, the interior design is largely the same as that used in the current Phantom model. A twelve month world tour to show off the car and test it in different conditions around the world, will terminate in 2012. Rolls-Royce have stated that there are no plans to create a consumer model based on the 102EX at this time.
The plan to produce 102 EX was reported to be cancelled due to compromises in charging time and driving range
Many have lambasted the proliferation of high-end hybrid and electric cars as contradictory statements on consumption and cost efficacy. If you are one of those people, you can go right ahead and stop reading at the end of this paragraph. Unplug your computer, throw it off a cliff, and, finally, drop a Hummer on it. That’s because Rolls-Royce has just announced the 102EX concept, a one-off electric Phantom, and it will debut at the Geneva auto show.
A battery-powered Rolls-Royce is the answer to a question no one asked. When a car that Rolls code-named 102EX surfaced at last month’s Geneva auto show, skepticism reigned. Offered an opportunity to experience this radical alternative to V-12 propulsion, we took the bait, in spite of the fact that our drive was scheduled for April Fools’ Day—the ideal moment for jokes and hoaxes, even in England.
Touted as the “world’s first battery-electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment”, the 102EX—EX nomenclature is Roller-ese for “experimental”—trades its ordinary 6.8-liter V-12 engine and six-speed automatic gearbox for two electric motors and a single-speed transmission with integrated differential. Mounted via the rear subframe, the two motors combine to create 389 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque; that’s 64 fewer horsepower but 59more lb-ft than the Phantom’s gasoline engine.
Touted as the “world’s first battery-electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment”, the 102EX—EX nomenclature is Roller-ese for “experimental”—trades its ordinary 6.8-liter V-12 engine and six-speed automatic gearbox for two electric motors and a single-speed transmission with integrated differential. Mounted via the rear subframe, the two motors combine to create 389 hp and 590 lb-ft of torque; that’s 64 fewer horsepower but 59more lb-ft than the Phantom’s gasoline engine.
The plan to produce 102 EX was reported to be cancelled due to compromises in charging time and driving range
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars proudly presents 102EX, a car that represents one of the most significant initiatives taken by the company in recent years. It is the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment and continues a tradition of experimental cars running through the model generations.
102EX – PHANTOM EXPERIMENTAL ELECTRIC PRESS KIT
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