Rolls-Royce Coy on EV Timing, Eschews Hybrids

BMW AG’s ultra-luxury Rolls-Royce brand is slowly moving forward with plans for an all-electric vehicle.

The marque has been toying with the idea of an EV since 2015 after previously denouncing such vehicles. CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos now says the company is “on it,” when it comes to adding an EV to its lineup.  

But he still is non-committal on timing. At last week’s Concours d’Elegance event in California, Muller-Otvos said only that a Rolls-Royce EV will bow “when the time is right.”

The CEO is more straightforward on the company’s approach to hybrid-electric cars: They have no future at Rolls-Royce. He points to the high cost of developing the technology and notes that Rolls-Royce customers, especially younger ones, would rather go straight to full electrification than settle for an interim option such as a plug-in hybrid.  

Muller-Otvos also believes future regulations will favor EVs over hybrids.

The platform used for the current Phantom sedan and Cullinan crossover vehicle (pictured) could support an electric drivetrain, according to Muller-Otvos. But media reports speculate that the first Rolls-Royce EV likely will ride on a new architecture that would better optimize packaging, efficiency and performance.