2008 Rolls-royce Phantom on 2040-cars

Auto blog

Zero-emission zones are forcing Rolls-Royce to develop its first EV

Rolls-Royce confirmed its first series-produced electric car will debut before the end of 2020. The BMW-owned firm is pivoting toward electrification to give its customers access to city zero-emission zones. Instead of putting batteries in one of its existing models, the company will enter the EV segment with a new nameplate. Unverified reports claim the car will replace the Wraith and the Dawn, so it could arrive as a coupe and/or as a convertible, and Automotive News learned it will ride on Rolls-Royce's modular aluminum platform. It's too early for executives to provide technical specifications. Rolls-Royce could choose to borrow components from its parent company, or it could develop the technology on its own. Regardless, the brand stressed its customers aren't clamoring for a zero-emission options, but regulations are forcing Rolls to go electric. "There is no demand from customers, but we need to be in a position to sell them a car if legislation forbids them from driving a combustion-engined car into the center of a city," a spokesperson told Automotive News. Company CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos announced the model is currently being developed, and it's scheduled to make its debut "within this decade." He added an electric powertrain fits the brand's image perfectly, because it's silent and it delivers the mammoth amount of torque customers expect, whether they're driving or being driven. Batteries add weight, but no one buys a Rolls-Royce thinking they're getting a nimble, feather-light car. In the meantime, Rolls-Royce will continue fine-tuning its mighty V12 engine, which it anticipates will power most of the cars it builds until the end of the 2020s. And, don't expect it to release a plug-in hybrid model. It's skipping gasoline-electric technology and going straight from 12-cylinders to electric motors. Rolls-Royce has been on the fence about electrification for about a decade. It introduced an electric version of the last-generation Phantom named 102EX at the 2011 edition of the Geneva auto show, and it briefly considered giving the sedan the proverbial green light for production. It backpedaled when it realized the technology still had serious limitations, notably in terms of driving range, and that its customers weren't interested in going electric. Engineers tested hybrid prototypes in the 2010s, but they remained at the test mule stage.

Rolls-Royce's all-electric aircraft completes 15-minute maiden voyage

Rolls-Royce, best known in aviation for its jet engines, has taken an all-electric airplane on its maiden voyage. The "Spirit of Innovation" completed a 15 minute flight, marking "the beginning of an intensive flight-testing phase in which we will be collecting valuable performance data on the aircraft’s electrical power and propulsion system," the company announced.  Rolls-Royce said the one-seat airplane has "the most power-dense battery pack every assembled for an aircraft." The aircraft uses a 6,000 cell battery pack with a three-motor powertrain that currently delivers 400kW (500-plus horsepower), and Rolls-Royce said the aircraft will eventually achieve speeds of over 300 MPH.  This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. The flight comes about a year after the originally scheduled takeoff and about six months after taxi trials. Rolls-Royce is also developing an air taxi with manufacturer Tecnam, with the aim of delivering an "all-electric passenger aircraft for the commuter market," according to the companies. It has previously teamed with Siemens and Airbus on another e-plane concept.  Aircraft companies have been exploring electric airplanes for a number of years, as air travel and cargo accounts for an increasing amount of greenhouse gases. The World Wildlife Foundation has called it "currently the most carbon intensive activity an individual can make."  Weight is a much bigger problem for airplanes that it is for cars, however. Ford's all-electric Lightning pickup weighs 1,800 pounds more than the gas-powered model, and offers a range that's slightly under half. However, if you added 1,800 pounds to to a Cessna 206 Turbo Stationair, you'd exceed its useful load by 500 pounds before you even loaded passengers (or the pilot) — so it wouldn't even get off the ground.  The project was half funded by the Aerospace Technology Institute and UK government, with the aim of eventually creating all-electric passenger planes. "This is not only about breaking a world record; the advanced battery and propulsion technology developed for this programme has exciting applications for the Urban Air Mobility market and can help make ‘jet zeroÂ’ a reality," said Rolls-Royce CEO Warren East. This article by S. Dent originally appeared on Engadget. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings.

Freddie Mercury's silver Rolls-Royce auction will benefit Ukrainian war victims

Freddie Mercury, Queen’s exuberant front man, had a penchant for very expensive, very lux cars; a Lincoln, a Daimler, and his favorite, a 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. The limousine, which chauffeured Mercury until his death in 1991 (he had no driverÂ’s license), is now on its way to a higher calling: ItÂ’s to be sold off next month at RM Sotheby's London auction, with proceeds going to the Superhumans Center, a charity supported by Richard Branson and others to provide aid for war victims in Ukraine and to fund construction of a hospital in Lviv. According to the Hagerty automotive site, MercuryÂ’s sister Kashmira drove the car for a time after her brotherÂ’s death. With 62,000 miles on the clock, it was eventually put up for auction in Britain and sold in 2013 and fetched GBP74,600, the equivalent of GBP131,098 (about $146,000) today. The car is painted a color called Silver Chalice and has a blue interior. It is powered by a V8 motor. The sedanÂ’s memory was kept alive in the Queen biopic, “Bohemian Rhapsody.” At the beginning of the film, the rocker is being delivered to the Live Aid concert in a silver Rolls (not MercuryÂ’s original, presumably). In other Queen-related news of note, band members Brian May and Roger Taylor authorized the release Thursday of a newly-discover song, “Face It Alone,” originally recorded in the 1980s. It was targeted for inclusion on “The Miracle,” QueenÂ’s 13th studio album, but didnÂ’t make the final release. The song was discovered by a team assembling an upcoming eight-disc Queen box set. “WeÂ’d kind of forgotten about this track,” Taylor said in a statement. “But there it was, this little gem. ItÂ’s wonderful, a real discovery. ItÂ’s a very passionate piece.” Related Video This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Featured Gallery Freddie Mercury's Rolls-Royce View 11 Photos Celebrities Rolls-Royce Auctions Luxury Sedan