2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

You know things are getting serious in the move from internal combustion to battery electric when one of the most traditional brands on the face of the earth rolls out an all-electric; and, of course, we’re talking about Rolls-Royce. So, it’s time for us to find out if this ultra-luxury super coupe really is the Rolls-Royce of EVs.

While some might have said there was a ghost of a chance we’d ever see a Rolls-Royce EV, in the spirit of transparency, Charles Rolls did proclaim way back in 1900 that “The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean” and “should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged.” Well, that time has apparently arrived, as the 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre is slowly revealing itself.

As you can see, there’s nothing very EV about it. It looks all Rolls-Royce; whether you’re talking about the Spirit of Ecstasy who is crouching down for a more aerodynamic stance, to the big chrome radiator-style grille which is now purely ornamental. Then there’s the extremely long hood proportions, the 23-inch wheels with self-leveling center caps, and the wild chartreuse paint job of our test car.

This is not an all-new platform, but a modification of the all-aluminum spaceframe chassis that also underpins Ghost and Cullinan. Rolls considers it the world’s first “ultra-luxury electric super coupe,” so there are just two doors; and they do open to the rear, so you can call them coach doors, upper crust British accent encouraged but not required. Those doors are the longest ever on a Rolls, so the latches are heavily reinforced with invisible butlers to electrically close them for you.

Basically, the same treatment inside, where they’ve kept things very familiar. No emphasis on vegan materials here, rather an authentic glitterama of real cow skin, genuine wood, and solid metals, nothing much says EV here either. This is what old-world craftsmanship looks like, everything feels substantial and oozes quality. No gaudy labels on the radio speakers, just earth moving amounts of crystal-clear sound if you want it; eerie amounts of silence if you don’t.

Solitude was already a strong point in Rolls-Royce vehicles, but the Spectre’s bank vault levels of quietness at anything below highway speed takes it to a new level. It doesn’t so much drive on the road as float above it, with the highly sophisticated suspension electronics messing with the laws of physics while you’re on your way to that faraway castle or villa.

Front seats are supportive and comfortable with a massaging function of course, and there’s even plenty of room in the back seat to bring friends along. All while being plenty tech-heavy at the same time, with all the comfort, safety, and connectedness you expect in a modern luxury car; including a touchscreen integrated into the dash for infotainment. Physical controls for climate are located on a separate panel. There’s even a dreamscape of twinkling stars on the ceiling and doors, which is fitting since this car is a real dream to drive.

The Spectre’s soft and refined ride is truly a sublime experience that makes you want to hover down the road forever. But just 266 miles of range from the BMW i7’s 102 kWh battery won’t quite enable that. Doesn’t sound like a lot of miles, but it’s probably more than the average Rolls owners put on their car in a month, as many as 291 miles are available if you stick with the standard 22-inch wheels. It’s not all plush perfection though, we did get some odd brake pedal sensations, and its long travel took some getting used to. Max charging rate is just 195 kW, putting it about 34 minutes for an 80% charge, but it’s likely you have minions to take care of that for you.

With 1,000-horsepower EVs almost commonplace these days, the front and rear motors here in the Spectre combine for just 577 horsepower and 664 lb-ft of torque; though it’s more than enough to move this beautiful beast down the road easily and quickly, hitting 60 in the low 4-second range. One could argue that this modern mission of using electricity to power a 6,000-lbs. half-million-dollar luxury showpiece of a car is more an exercise in eco virtue signaling than helping our planet in any significant way, but if we’re going to force people to go all EV, some are still going to want their land yachts. By the way, using 45 kWh of electricity per 100 miles, the Spectre earns a fair efficiency rating. However, pricing for this extravagant electric starts at a whopping $422,750.

As beautiful as the 2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre is to look at, it’s even more lovely to drive; making every trip feel like a royal engagement. It’s easy to dismiss it as just an overpriced showpiece for a select few, but out of all the current Rolls-Royce models, the Spectre is probably the one that makes the most sense; delivering the most luxurious and rewarding driving experience, while fulfilling Charles Rolls’ vision from 124-years ago. With a full battery and an open road, the Spectre truly is spectacular.