Rolls-Royce 102EX Electric Car Concept to Debut at Geneva Auto Show
Rolls-Royce will take a big step towards bringing to market an electric vehicle, debuting an electric version of its flagship Phantom model at the Geneva Auto Show in just over a weeks time.
Rolls has announced it will debut the car, known as either the 102 EX or Phantom Experimental Electric (EE), and then take it on a world tour, testing the technology as well as gauging interest from customers.
“We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment,” said CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, 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.”
The most regal of luxury brands maintains that this car will not see production, but that it is designed to create a debate about whether pure luxury and EVs can coexist. To help frame the conversation, Rolls-Royce has launched a new website www.electricluxury.com as a place to debate EVs in the luxury segment, while delivering updates on the car’s journey.
GALLERY: Rolls-Royce 102EX Concept
Watch for coverage from the Geneva Auto Show on March 1st. Until then, see AutoGuide’s 2011 Geneva Auto Show preview here.