Rolls-Royce’s first EV begins second phase of development

Rolls-Royce’s electric luxury model, the Spectre, has entered its second phase of testing, which takes place at the French Rivera.

The British car maker’s first electric product was put through extreme testing conditions in Arjeplog, Sweden during the initial testing phase. The development engineers have now shifted their focus to a more formal scrutiny that reflects Spectre's everyday use as they continue the 2.5 million km test programme.

“It is no exaggeration to state that Spectre is the most anticipated Rolls-Royce ever,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, CEO of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars.

“Free from the restrictions connected to the internal combustion engine, our battery-electric vehicle will offer the purest expression of the Rolls-Royce experience in the marque’s 118-year history. This latest testing phase proves a suite of advanced technologies that underpin a symbolic shift for Rolls-Royce as it progresses towards a bright, bold, all-electric future.”

The second phase is split into two parts, beginning at the historic Autodrome de Miramas proving ground, located in the French department of Bouches-du-Rhône in Provence. Once a circuit that played host to the 1926 Grand Prix, the site is now a state-of-the-art test and development facility, incorporating more than 60 km of closed routes and 20 test track environments that provide a vast number of testing opportunities over its 1,198-acre footprint.

The second part of the testing occurs in the Provençal countryside surrounding the Autodrome de Miramas. This region provides for testing under local, real-life conditions which will be similar to the very roads that many production Spectres will be driven on following the first customer deliveries in the fourth quarter of 2023.

“From this engineering starting point, our testing and refinement processes combine empirical data and human experience, intuition and insights acquired over more than a century to refine the motor car’s driving dynamics and character,” said Dr. Mihiar Ayoubi, Rolls-Royce’s director of engineering.

“In coordinating this orchestra of systems with precisely defined responses to driver inputs and road conditions, made possible by the latest software and hardware developments, Spectre delivers the Rolls-Royce experience in exceptionally high definition.”