With everyone in the auto industry and other adjacent fields working extra hard to figure out a way of reducing CO2 emissions, one has to wonder what powerplant the new Rolls-Royce Phantom will be using, as V12s aren’t exactly known as polar-bear friendly contraptions. And while some consider that hybrid power would be the way to go, the British company seemingly doesn’t want to hear it and will move on to EVs directly, when the technology is mature enough.
The news comes from the CEO of the company himself. Speaking to Autocar, Torsten Müller-Otvös said that the brand he represents won’t be adopting any sort of hybrid tech, be it plug-in or not, but it will bring out a completely electric vehicle once the technology allows cars to be as smooth and with the same range as they are today.
“Electrification is the way forward – and there will be no in between steps for us like hybridisation,” said Müller-Otvös at the Goodwood Festival of Speed. “It is the propulsion system for the future, make no error. There is a time – nobody can predict when – when there will be no combustion engines. That will take a long, long time, but it will happen.”
Photo: James Lipman / jameslipman.com
“The Rolls-Royce brand is not, in a way, a game-changer when it comes to revolutionary technology. Our customers are doing so for reasons of utmost luxury, so there can be no imperfections. Compromises when it comes to technology, or operating our products, are unacceptable. People are more interested in highly reliably substance than to be a test field for new technology,” added Müller-Otvös, further explaining why this will be the way Rolls-Royce will be doing thing.
Since EV tech is still in its incipient phase, it will probably take a long time until we’ll get to see an electric Rolls-Royce on the streets. That will be a dreadful day for all of us, if you ask me, and even though we will be saving the planet, some of the magic the Rolls-Royce brand has will be gone. That is if they don’t find a really clever way to emulate the way a V12 feels like and infuse it into the upcoming Rolls but that remains to be seen. If there’s a company out there that could do that, it’s Rolls-Royce.
