Rolls-Royce announced back in September that it would be fulfilling the prophecy of its founder by introducing its first mainstream production electric vehicle. The announcement came with the confirmation of the Spectre name and a teaser that showed wacky camouflage made up of words that have inspired the new model's creation. This was followed by the promise that the Pantheon grille would still feature despite its inherent redundancy in an EV. As much as an electric Rolls is a departure from the norm in and of itself, the styling of the Spectre can't be too unorthodox. That's great news for those who like tradition, but it also means that deciphering the below spy shots is a bit tricky.

We first caught sight of the new EV through our spy photographers' lenses late last year and since then, not much more has been revealed. Two prototypes have been spotted, one of which has deleted some of the camo around the side windows. This doesn't tell us much, but it does suggest that there could be two variants, perhaps one of which will be a Black Badge with more power. Speaking of power, we're expecting at least two electric motors developing around 600-650 horsepower. Range has not been speculated on much, but this is a Rolls, so it needs to be able to cruise effortlessly for hours.

We can see that a split headlight design is likely and those signature suicide doors will also be added, but the rear of these test mules reveals little more than a subtle integrated spoiler, with the production taillights yet to be fitted to the development cars. Sure, this looks a lot like a Wraith, so is there any point in speculating on its design? Well, yes. Rolls-Royce has just redesigned the Spirit of Ecstasy, with the refreshed hood ornament to be fitted to new models like the Spectre and the existing design to continue adorning current models. That suggests that Rolls-Royce will ensure that new, electric models will stand out in their own way while still giving a nod to tradition. We'll find out more about the Spectre's design and underpinnings ahead of an expected reveal in the second half of 2023.