Nobody sees a poltergeist.

At best, acoustic signals testify to its hitherto unproven existence.

But when the first fully electric Rolls Royce hits the road, it's set to be the quietest automobile ever, despite its name Specter.

At least that's what Thorsten Müller-Ötvös, head of the British luxury retailer, says.

The electric drive is a perfect match for a brand whose claim has always been to offer sufficient performance, but otherwise to keep the occupants away from everyday world events as soon as the heavy doors slam shut.

The Specter won't be on the road for a year, but some regular customers and journalists have already asked Rolls Royce to come and have a seat.

John Winterhagen

Editor in the economy, technology and engine department

  • Follow I follow

It begins with the usual premiere fuss on a semi-dark stage.

But once the light is fully on, the viewer lets out a sigh of relief.

The first Rolls with a battery is also clearly a Royce, no ifs or buts.

There is a coupe of enormous proportions, two doors, rear-hinged, four full-size seats – after all, with an exterior length of five and a half meters, there is plenty of space.

A long bonnet gives the car familiar proportions, although it doesn't need all that space, after all, the electric motors are on the front and rear axles.

But is a Rolls about needing?

Wanting determines being, and this attitude continues in the interior.

The designers from Goodwood in southern England have opted for a white base tone in buffalo leather, combined with an exalted green and pink decorative elements.

The optical pop of the flagship model reflects the changed target group of the British.

With an average age of 42, she is the youngest in the BMW Group, to which Rolls Royce has belonged for a quarter of a century.

If you want to see root wood and leather colors, you can also order them in the Specter at any time.

According to one employee, it is not uncommon for the value of the special equipment ordered to be significantly higher than the base price of the vehicle.

It is not known for the Spectre, but it will not be available for less than 400,000 euros.

Anyone who spends so much money is spared all the inconveniences of electromobility.

The battery in the underbody has a capacity of around 100 kilowatt hours, which is enough for a range of 500 kilometers.

Contributing to this is the aerodynamic silhouette, for which even the traditional “Spirit of Ecstasy” hood ornament has to put on its wings.

But even if it were only 300 kilometers in reality: A Rolls shares the garage with an average of seven other cars, so there should be one that is suitable for long-distance journeys.

If the battery ages, there will be a replacement from Goodwood, promises Müller-Ötvös.

After all, sustainability is also defined by a long life.

Four out of five Rolls Royce ever built are still in use - and despite the small numbers in 102 years, there are quite a few.

To ensure that the car weighs just under three tons, despite the large battery, the engineers used an aluminum body structure, known among experts as the "space frame".

Since the battery housing stabilizes this frame, the torsional rigidity is said to be 30 percent higher than in a vehicle with a combustion engine.