Rolls-Royce Going Full Electric After 2030, New SUV Reportedly in the Pipeline for 2027

The last ICE-powered Rolls-Royce should roll off the line after the 2031 model year. Subsequently, this brand's vehicles will be battery-electric, a recipe that suits the British luxury automaker like a glove due to its all-quiet nature.

AutoNews understands that with this strategy, Rolls-Royce wants to take the lead over its main rivals. It allegedly has quite a few new models in the pipeline, including a new SUV that should be smaller than the Cullinan, which is expected in early 2027. The Cullinan will live until the end of the decade with its V12 firepower before driving off into the sunset for good.

The EV bug will eventually bite its flagship sedan, too, the Phantom, as its successor is expected to be an all-quiet luxury model. It appears that Rolls-Royce might launch it in late 2028, apparently one year after the mid-cycle refresh of the Spectre. The electric luxury grand tourer should be facelifted in 2027, and it is yet unknown what the novelties will be. In all likelihood, it will feature revised front and rear fascias and perhaps some small adjustments beneath the skin.

Rolls-Royce started assembling the Spectre in 2023. This model is the indirect successor to the marque's discontinued two-door series that included the Wraith and Dawn and instead of utilizing a BEV-dedicated construction, it builds on the same platform as the Phantom, Ghost, and Cullinan. Production takes place at the company's factory in West Sussex, England, and this is one of the most luxurious electric vehicles that one can buy in today's market.

Praised for its quiet-as-a-church nature and multiple luxury amenities, the Rolls-Royce Spectre tips the scale at almost three tons, which is around 6,600 pounds. Thus, it weighs about as much as some large pickup trucks, and despite its heavy nature, it is still fast. According to the spec sheet, the Spectre takes only four and a half seconds to push to sixty mph (97 kph), which is similar to a stock Mercedes-AMG G 63.

Rolls-Royce gave it a dual-motor setup that generates a total of 664 pound-foot (900 Nm) of torque and 567 horsepower (575 ps/430 kW). The electric two-door coupe has an EPA-estimated 291-mile (468 km) range and starts at over $420,000 in the United States. The Spectre is obviously an extremely important product for Rolls-Royce, as it helps pave the way for the inevitable electric future.