Rolls-Royce has flirted with the idea of an electric vehicle before, but it is seems that the British car manufacturer is still interested.
Nowadays, even the most exclusive car makers aren’t safe from the increasingly stringent emission laws and regulations. Firms that once pushed aside the idea of an electric car or a hybrid, are now looking for ways to integrate the technology in their line-up in order to comply with present and future standards – a quick answer for a complex, long-term problem, especially for exclusive car manufacturers which leave an insignificant pollution mark due to their limited sales.
Rolls-Royce previously doubted the viability of an electric car – although it came up with the 102EX Electric concept study back in 2011 – but that doesn’t mean the BMW Group-owned car manufacturer abandoned the idea altogether. In fact, Bloomberg reports that Rolls-Royce is still considering it, especially if the battery technology will evolve considerably, as Torsten Mueller-Oetvoes – head of BMW AG unit – stated:
“Suppose we find a battery technology that can offer ranges that are acceptable to our customers, I can definitely imagine a fully electric Rolls-Royce.”
Range anxiety is one of the drawbacks EV customers experience, but the British car manufacturer wants to make sure its product will live to the Rolls-Royce name, offering high-standards of comfort. And there isn’t any comfort if you continuously think you’re running out of juice with not that many places to recharge your car.
Still, even if the idea of an electric Roller is on the table, it could take some time before it materializes, as Mueller-Oetvoes continued saying:
“Rolls-Royce hasn’t made a final decision on producing an electric car or a plug-in hybrid vehicle, and there’s no firm time frame for the move.”
Rolls-Royce 102EX Concept pictured
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