Better than a V12: Rolls-Royce’s first EV is the 2024 Spectre coupe

Drive a modern Rolls-Royce and it's hard to escape the air of opulence. Deep shag lambswool carpets. A rear seat that hides its occupants from prying eyes. A headlining with thousands of LED stars that twinkle at night. But it's also hard to avoid thinking that even with a powerful 6.75 L V12 under the hood, there's a better alternative.

Rolls-Royce thinks so, too. Which is why on Tuesday, it debuted the Spectre, a new electric, fixed-head coupe that will reach its first well-heeled buyers in late 2023. It's the first battery-electric vehicle from the marque, but not the last—its entire lineup will be EV-only by 2030.

Now, to spare the anger of the traditionalists, consider this quote: "The electric car is perfectly noiseless and clean. There is no smell or vibration. They should become very useful when fixed charging stations can be arranged." No, not a post from any one of the numerous Ars comment threads about EVs, but Charles Stewart Rolls, one of the two eponymous founders of the company, speaking in 1900.