Rolls-Royce Silent Shadow Might Be Company’s First EV
Rolls-Royce is developing its first-ever electrified model which will probably be based on the 103EX concept.
The automotive world is fast adopting electrification as the future of propulsion, and the popularity of this trend is compelling many luxury automakers to embrace the change. Mercedes recently announced its plans to introduce all-electric versions of its AMG, Maybach, and G-Wagen nameplates. Now, according to a recent Autocar report, luxury automaker Rolls-Royce is also breaking away from its traditional ways and developing a battery-powered vehicle.
The British automotive magazine reported that Rolls-Royce is working on an electric-only prototype, which BMW is developing at its R&D facility in Munich. The magazine speculates that Rolls-Royce might share more details about its electrification plans by the end of 2021. The luxury automaker’s first model might be based on the 103EX concept, which made its debut back in 2016.
Rolls-Royce’s parent company is aggressively expanding its battery-only portfolio and recently unveiled the highly-anticipated iX electric SUV. Rumors suggest that Rolls-Royce’s upcoming EV might share its powertrain technology with BMW’s electrified high-rider. The upcoming EV will probably sport the Silent Shadow moniker (trademarked by BMW last year), which is a nod to Rolls-Royce’s all-time best-selling model – the Silver Shadow.
The magazine also shared insights on Rolls-Royce Every journey so far, “the British brand has considered putting an electric version of an existing model into production as its first EV, it is now understood to favour an entirely new car.â€
The Rolls-Royce Silent Shadow EV will be produced alongside i7, which is BMW’s rival to Mercedes EQS. The two models will probably share certain components, but both offerings will be based on different vehicle architectures. Silent Shadow will incorporate Rolls-Royce’s new aluminum spaceframe architecture, whereas the i7 will be based on the BMW CLAR platform.
Rolls-Royce’s first EV prototype was the 102EX rear-wheel-drive concept car, which was unveiled at the Geneva Motor Show back in 2011. Since then, the British company has committed to focusing its efforts on electric-only models after CEO Torsten Mueller Otvos announced that Rolls-Royce will not build PHEVs and petrol-electric models.
Müller-Ötvös told AutoCar “We need to make smart decisions on where we invest our money. It may be okay for bigger companies to go into hybrids and all sorts of different technologies. We needed to make a certain decisionâ€
China and America are Rolls-Royce’s core markets for high-income customers. The countries also happened to be the world’s biggest electric vehicle markets, and an all-electric Rolls-Royce model will give the British brand a strategic advantage in an electrified future.
Image Source: Rolls-Royce