“Suppose we find a battery technology that can offer ranges that are acceptable to our customers. [Then] I can definitely imagine a fully electric Rolls-Royce,” said company CEO Torsten Müller–tvös in an interview with trade journal Automotive News.
The comments mark a drastic shift for the BMW-owned marque. Executives have repeatedly dismissed EVs even as the rest of the industry has gradually adopted them because they generally offer a very limited driving range, and because finding public charging stations is easier said than done in many parts of the world.
Müller–tvös stressed that the idea of an electric Rolls represents little more than a bullet point on an agenda right now, and the project has not been given the green light yet.
What’s next?
While an EV isn’t currently in the works, Rolls-Royce has previously confirmed plans to launch its first-ever plug-in hybrid model. Details are still few and far between, but the gasoline-electric drivetrain will presumably be developed with input from BMW, which has a vast amount of expertise in the field of eco-friendly cars.
The first plug-in Rolls is tentatively scheduled to arrive in 2017 so it will most likely be either a sedan or a coupe. However, the Cullinan SUV will most likely be available with an evolution of the drivetrain when it goes on sale in time for the 2019 model year.
Note: Experimental Rolls-Royce 102EX pictured.
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