BMW has the technical expertise to make an electric Phantom. But why bother?
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today confirmed the existence of the Phantom Experimental Electric, an electric Phantom concept car that will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. (In 1998, BMW Group acquired the rights to manufacture Rolls-Royce motor cars. In less than five years, it had designed and constructed a new head office and manufacturing plant, and designed, tested and built an entirely new motor car – AutoCrat.)
“We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment,” said CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos, in a statement issued at the company’s headquarters in Goodwood, United Kingdom. BMW owns Rolls-Royce, and is in the process of preparing its own electric cars. No production plans are in place, though, for the electric Phantom.
Is the electric Phantom a publicity stunt, green wash, serious gambit or all three?
“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,” said Muller-Otvos.
The Phantom Experimental Electric will tour during 2011, and reactions to alternative drivetrain options from owners, enthusiasts, members of the public and the media will be surveyed.
Issues to be discussed surrounding the electric Phantom include the range between charges and operation in extreme weather conditions.
“I must be convinced that any alternative drivetrain we choose for the future delivers an authentic Rolls-Royce experience,” said Muller-Otvos. “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.”
In preparation for the electric Phantom Geneva debut, Rolls-Royce launched the website www.electricluxury.com, seeking opinions on the question of electric luxury from media, VIPs and stakeholders. The site will also have updates of the car’s progress while on tour.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn.
He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe.
Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap.
AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks.
Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.
Rolls-Royce to Debut Electric Phantom Concept at Geneva
BMW has the technical expertise to make an electric Phantom. But why bother?
Rolls-Royce Motor Cars today confirmed the existence of the Phantom Experimental Electric, an electric Phantom concept car that will debut at the Geneva Motor Show in March. (In 1998, BMW Group acquired the rights to manufacture Rolls-Royce motor cars. In less than five years, it had designed and constructed a new head office and manufacturing plant, and designed, tested and built an entirely new motor car – AutoCrat.)
“We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment,” said CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos, in a statement issued at the company’s headquarters in Goodwood, United Kingdom. BMW owns Rolls-Royce, and is in the process of preparing its own electric cars. No production plans are in place, though, for the electric Phantom.
Is the electric Phantom a publicity stunt, green wash, serious gambit or all three?
“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,” said Muller-Otvos.
The Phantom Experimental Electric will tour during 2011, and reactions to alternative drivetrain options from owners, enthusiasts, members of the public and the media will be surveyed.
Issues to be discussed surrounding the electric Phantom include the range between charges and operation in extreme weather conditions.
“I must be convinced that any alternative drivetrain we choose for the future delivers an authentic Rolls-Royce experience,” said Muller-Otvos. “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.”
In preparation for the electric Phantom Geneva debut, Rolls-Royce launched the website www.electricluxury.com, seeking opinions on the question of electric luxury from media, VIPs and stakeholders. The site will also have updates of the car’s progress while on tour.
About Ken Zino
Ken Zino, editor and publisher of AutoInformed, is a versatile auto industry participant with global experience spanning decades in print and broadcast journalism, as well as social media. He has automobile testing, marketing, public relations and communications experience. He is past president of The International Motor Press Assn, the Detroit Press Club, founding member and first President of the Automotive Press Assn. He is a member of APA, IMPA and the Midwest Automotive Press Assn. He also brings an historical perspective while citing their contemporary relevance of the work of legendary auto writers such as Ken Purdy, Jim Dunne or Jerry Flint, or writers such as Red Smith, Mark Twain, Thomas Jefferson – all to bring perspective to a chaotic automotive universe. Above all, decades after he first drove a car, Zino still revels in the sound of the exhaust as the throttle is blipped during a downshift and the driver’s rush that occurs when the entry, apex and exit points of a turn are smoothly and swiftly crossed. It’s the beginning of a perfect lap. AutoInformed has an editorial philosophy that loves transportation machines of all kinds while promoting critical thinking about the future use of cars and trucks. Zino builds AutoInformed from his background in automotive journalism starting at Hearst Publishing in New York City on Motor and MotorTech Magazines and car testing where he reviewed hundreds of vehicles in his decade-long stint as the Detroit Bureau Chief of Road & Track magazine. Zino has also worked in Europe, and Asia – now the largest automotive market in the world with China at its center.