Rolls-Royce CEO hints at electric Phantom

While we imagine that the vast majority of you would be perfectly content with an all-electric MINI Cooper (or a Porsche, if nothing else), some debutantes and Chuck Bass wannabes just won't have anything but the best. For those out there who can actually consider putting a Rolls-Royce in the garage, you'll be thrilled to know that CEO Tom Purves is spending some serious time thinking about a battery-powered Phantom. Reportedly, the bigwig stated that "many of its customers do small mileages exclusively in the city," and for these customers, "an electric Rolls-Royce would be ideal." He wouldn't hand over any prospective time lines or anything, but we did get the impression that he reckoned the engineering wouldn't be too terribly taxing. And the best part? He suggested that most buyers would opt for an electric Rolls for "urban use" while sporting a gasoline-powered version for longer journeys. Yeah, that's something we can totally relate to.

[Via Autoblog]

[who? @ Oct 24th 2008 1:51AM]

Ah, excellent. I have been anticipating the day when I can have that old Rolls scrapped. I think I'll break open the oldest and most expensive bottle of rum in the world to celebrate. Then not drink it. Perhaps I shall pour it in the dish for our Komodo dragon, he does love his billion dollar ales! Ho, ho!

$(

[Artie Lange @ Oct 24th 2008 2:11AM]

You still have a Komodo dragon? How passe. I have a Norwegian Ridgeback. It eats gold and refuses to drink anything but Cristal. I tried to slip it some sparkling wine once, and it burned down my chateau in protest.

[matefrio @ Oct 24th 2008 2:09AM]

Their customers are oil based.. Don't think it'll ever happen.

[fanman @ Oct 24th 2008 2:56AM]

As is everyone on the plannet.

[Sasha S. @ Oct 24th 2008 2:17AM]

This is a significant bit of news. There are still hundreds of millions of people out there who see Rolls Royce as the pinnacle of car technology but would not give electric car a second look. If RR comes out with electric car that would make a lot of people to stop and think a about it. Not to mention other car manufacturers who are also watching what few "leaders of the pack" are doing.

Well done RR! I will take electric WV Passat or Project Better Place compatible electric Ranault Laguna but I will give my respect to you.

[fanman @ Oct 24th 2008 2:55AM]

This is great. They're answering customers needs to reduce fuel bills.

At least they're not holding with the pretence that this is environmentally friendly or any less polluting than any other cars on the road, just cheaper in the urban environment. Right guys?

[happy_penguin @ Oct 24th 2008 2:22AM]

It's a lame ass idea.

[Rizky @ Oct 24th 2008 4:35AM]

Chuck Bass!

[Almadi @ Oct 24th 2008 5:23AM]

I thought Rolls Royce don't make cars no more?

[happy_penguin @ Oct 24th 2008 1:50PM]

Well, perhaps with your double negative your comment is actually true.

[chosen1 @ Oct 24th 2008 7:18AM]

and they tell me this right after I bought a non-electric Phantom?

what a rip-off!

[Greg Mcp @ Oct 24th 2008 8:19AM]

The WHOLE POINT of a car like the Rolls is to be a ridiculous waste of resources.
You don't want to use less fuel, you want it to use MORE.

It's a heavy tank of a thing, with a huge engine. It says to everyone who sees it "Hey look at me! I'm stinkin rich and I can afford to eat up as much petrol as I want. You poor people can worry about Peak Oil and Pollution and the Ozone layer, but I'm Rich."

[sam @ Oct 24th 2008 8:36AM]

Eh, sure this'll probably be a bit more efficient than usual, but bet on the car itself being even more expensive than a petrol-driven one. So it definitely isn't going to lose the 'I'm stinking rich' display functionality...

[fanman @ Oct 24th 2008 9:42AM]

Actually, the whole point of a Royles Royce is to say "I've suceeded and am now tastefull, refined, and none of the above".

[Magallanes @ Oct 24th 2008 12:17PM]

BIOSHOCK (see the picture).

[Dee @ Oct 24th 2008 6:10PM]

With the average electric car have a 4 to 1 ratio to a regular car, an electric phantom would cost:
$340,000 x 4 = $1,360,000 + I'm rich value = $2 million dollars :)

Hit me back when I win the lottery.

[Brian @ Nov 7th 2008 2:17PM]

Well, they DO have a point when they say many Rolls-Royce owners drive only short distances in their retardiculously large and inefficient cars which, though very solid, emit powerful emissions. I'm sure even rich people tire of breathing air tainted by the blood of slaves, the tears of Ethiopian children (that is if they weren't severely dehydrated 800% of the time), and the fumes of their big, stinky automobiles! It's a good thing though that they drive such short distances, because the heavy Rolls probably gets about 20 miles on a full charge.

I can see an electric Rolls Royce making sense, but PLEASE do your best to NOT pretend there is a real engine in your car by playing vroom-vroom through the 40-speaker sound system. A Rolls is tacky enough as it is.