Hundreds Of People Have Ordered Spectre, Rolls-Royce's First Electric Car, Before Even Seeing It

Oct. 23, 2022 2:24 PM ET by Michael Butler Electric Vehicles / 5 Comments

This is another level of wealth.

Like the rest of the automotive world, Rolls-Royce is moving towards a fully electric lineup and plans to only offer EVs by 2030. This is monumental news from a brand that has traditionally relied on massive displacement to get its luxury cars moving, but its first EV model, the Spectre, promises massive performance, luxury, and a cool soundtrack.

Being the first of its kind has drawn a ton of attention to this ultra-luxury EV, and despite its massive price tag of $413,000, Rolls-Royce claims it has already received hundreds of orders. The Spectre, which was officially revealed on Tuesday, will go head-to-head with the Cadillac Celestiq, which starts at over $300,000.

According to Rolls-Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos, who recently spoke to CNBC, the manufacturer has already received over 300 deposits for this ultra-exclusive electric luxury vehicle from American buyers who went to the manufacturer's headquarters in England to see and order the car confidentially before it was even revealed.

Muller-Otvos told media that new owners were allowed a sneak peek of the car at its Goodwood facility before the public unveiling on Tuesday. He added that some customers had put down deposits before even seeing the vehicle. "Once they have seen it here, they are delighted. The order book looks strong," he said.

The Spectre is now officially the most expensive luxury EV on the market, and Rolls-Royce is adamant that this is still a true Rolls, despite its electric drivetrain. "It needs to be a Rolls-Royce first," Muller-Otvos claims. "That means stability, brilliant quality, timeless materials, flight-on-land, silent propulsion. It carries all these genes Rolls-Royce is famous for."

The Spectre name has a rich history in the Rolls-Royce stable and has traditionally been associated with ground-breaking technology. Although the new EV will be the first to use the name as a production vehicle, the first car to use the name was built back in 1910 and was named the "Silver Spectre."

The Rolls Royce Spectre is flush with modern technology and features neat tricks like the 22 LEDs mounted on the rear side of each grille vane. The Spectre is also the most aerodynamic vehicle Rolls-Royce has ever built. This two-door coupe features 23-inch wheels and debuts Starlight Doors, which tie in with the now-famous star-lit headliner.

The Spectre rolls on the new "Architecture Of Luxury" platform, the stiffest ever made by Rolls-Royce, and features an electric powertrain producing 577 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque. That power enables this 6,559-pound luxury coupe to dart to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds and top out at 155 mph. The estimated EPA range is a decent 260 miles. When Rolls-Royce builds a new car, people tend to take notice, and the new Spectre seems to be a success before it has even touched the road.