If Rolls-Royce is bringing out new concept cars, you know the recession is on the run. (Either that, or the super-rich are just tired of feeling like they gotta act poor just because everyone else is hurting.) But since the world these days is obsessed with eco-friendly technology, the gang from Goodwood’s latest concept rolls around entirely on electricity.
Called the 102EX, the car will spend this year as a rolling prototype, traveling around the world and giving current Rolls-Royce owners a chance to drive the car and tell the company what they think of it. The company swears they don’t have any plans to produce the car, but we’d be very surprised if they were throwing around so much green and finding out what their customers think if Rolls wasn’t considering making an electric Roller. As you can see above, the concept gains a glowing hood ornament and battery gauge; we’ll learn more on February 28th, when Rolls-Royce reveals the details on the eve of the Geneva Motor Show. [Shout-out to Rolls-Royce!]
Press Blast:
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars Confirms Electric Test Vehicle Project
GOODWOOD, United Kingdom, Feb. 19, 2011 /PRNewswire/ — Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today confirmed the development of 102EX, a one-off, fully electric powered Phantom, to debut at the Geneva Motor Show on March 1, 2011. The car will tour during 2011, serving as a test bed to gather a bank of research data which will be crucial in informing future decisions on alternative drive-trains for Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.
“We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment,” said CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos, speaking from the company’s headquarters in Goodwood. “With this vehicle, we begin an exploration into alternative drive-trains, seeking clarity on which alternative technologies may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future.”
Rolls-Royce produces cars that represent the pinnacle in luxurious motoring for the world’s most discerning customers. With 102EX, also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), it is the company’s intention to carefully test the opinions and reactions to alternative drive-train options of a range of stakeholders including owners, enthusiasts, members of the public and the media.
102EX will serve as a working test bed for a global tour that takes in Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America. Through test drives, owners will be given the opportunity to experience an alternative drive-train technology and to feedback their experiences, thoughts and concerns directly to Rolls-Royce.
While there are no plans to develop a production version, as one of the company’s EX models it will serve to begin a dialogue with existing owners and stakeholders, posing as well as answering questions of its audience.
These include the car’s ability to deliver an acceptable range between re-charges and to operate in extreme weather conditions. But also to benchmark reliability and quality against customer expectations of the world’s pinnacle automotive brand.
“I must be convinced that any alternative drive-train we choose for the future delivers an authentic Rolls-Royce experience,” added Muller-Otvos. “It must be a technology that is right for our customers, our brand and which sets us on a sound footing for a sustainable future.”
In preparation for the Geneva debut, Rolls-Royce will launch the website www.electricluxury.com this week, a portal to fuel a wider global debate seeking views on the question of electric luxury from media, VIPs and stakeholders. The site will also deliver regular updates of the car’s progress while on tour.
Full technical specifications for 102EX, as well as images and b-roll will be published at 7:01 p.m. EST on February 28, 2011.
