Rolls-Royce Motor Cars unveiled a fully electric luxury car at the Geneva Motor Show today.
Rolls-Royce has not decided to manufacture the
Phantom 102EX. Instead, the experimental electric car is being used to gauge consumer reactions to the product.
"We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment," said Rolls-Royce ceo Torsten Müller-Ötvös. "With this vehicle, we begin an exploration into alternative drive-trains, seeking clarity on which alternative technologies may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future."
Trial and assessment
Rolls-Royce will tour the car around Europe, the Middle East, Asia and North America, seeking feedback on the new
design. Owners will have the chance to test drive the car while it is on tour.
The feedback will then be assessed so that owners and stakeholders can discuss the new vehicle. The discussions are likely to include how long it takes the car to recharge as well as how the electric car lives up to the expectations as a Rolls-Royce.
"I must be convinced that any alternative drive-train we choose for the future delivers an authentic Rolls-Royce experience," Müller-Ötvös said. "It must be a technology that is right for our customers, our brand and which sets us on a sound footing for a sustainable future."
Rolls-Royce is not the only company showcasing green cars at the event. Jaguar Land Rover and Ford have also presented low carbon vehicles.
Ford launches
At the motor show, Ford launched three low carbon cars, including the company’s first fuel-free rechargeable car, the Ford Focus Electric. The car can charge in three to four hours in a public charging station and at the charging box in the home, it will take eight to nine hours in a standard European plug but will offer customers a vehicle that does not produce any carbon emissions. The car will be available starting the summer of 2012.
Ford also launched the C-MAX Energi, the company’s first plug-in hybrid electric car that will be available starting in 2013. The C-MAX Energi can travel 500 miles using a combination of the battery and engine. Ford has also created the C-MAX hybrid, which was designed with a greater operating speed in mind.
Land Rover Range_e
Land Rover revealed its Range_e, a plug-in diesel hybrid. The new hybrid is designed to release 89g of CO2 per kilometre (km) while maintaining a fuel economy of 3.36 l/km. When running in electric mode, the vehicle can travel over 32km on one charge, which means no CO2 would be emitted. The Range_e is set to launch in 2013.
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