Talks about what could possibly replace the famous V12 mills found in modern-day Rolls-Royce models has been going around for quite a while now. The unanimous conclusion seems to point to electrified powertrains, but not hybrids in any shape or form. The CEO of the British brand has gone on record a number of times, talking about the future of the models we’ve grown to love and has repeatedly rejected the idea of infusing them with hybrid tech.
Instead, all solutions seem to point to a fully electric setup which would definitely be a proper substitute for the V12 mills the cars have today. The range on the current Phantom, Ghost or Wraith models doesn’t usually go a lot over 250 miles and that’s if you take it easy with the throttle. The same kind of range could be reached with electric motors and battery packs but the company won’t migrate to them until the technology is mature enough to satisfy the high demands of the customers calling the Goodwood offices.
In a recent interview given on the sidelines of the New York International Auto Show for Automotive News, Stefan Juraschek, BMW Group’s head of electric powertrain said “at the end of the day, we are also thinking that Rolls-Royce may be electrified because there is demand from local markets, especially in China. Looking around China, if you want to be in the market, you have to think on electrifying different brands.”
Therefore, electrifying the Rolls-Royce brand is no longer just a tendency but a certainty at this point, as time goes by. A definitive decision hasn’t been made yet but we’re confident it’s only a matter of time. As things are shaping up, somewhere towards the middle of the next decade we should be seeing the first electrified Rolls-Royce vehicles rolling out as the next-gen battery tech starts penetrating the market.
