New Rolls-Royce 102 EX Geneva 2011

The electric car has come of age. How do we know? Well, see for yourself. Rolls-Royce, perhaps the most iconic of classic luxury marques, has stepped firmly into the EV waters with the 102EX Concept. According to CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, this machine was created to help the company “[seek] clarity on which technology may be suitable to drive Rolls-Royce motor cars of the future.” We’d imagine a nice big diesel engine (perhaps fueled with a biodiesel blend) would work just fine and dandy, but electric drive is certainly a workable option, as well. Apparently, the 102EX, which is apparently also known as the Phantom Experimental Electric, will be used throughout 2011 as a test bed to shuttle… well, whomever Rolls-Royce deems worthy of transport. It won’t, however, be made into a production vehicle. The Phantom Experimental Electric started life as a run-of-the-mill Rolls-Royce Phantom from which the 6.75-liter engine and six-speed automatic gearbox were removed and replaced with a pair of electric motors putting out 145 kilowatts each. That thrust is sufficient to send the 6000-pound EV to 60 miles per hour in “under eight seconds.”

Author: TheWorldnewCars

Duration: 177

Published: 2011-03-04 09:30:41

New Rolls-Royce 102 EX Geneva 2011