Rolls Royce 102EX: Electric Phantom revealed

Electric Rolls Royce Phantom

Rolls Royce has taken the wraps of its experimental electric Phantom at  Geneva – Rolls Royce 102EX –  and they certainly haven’t done things by halves.

Rolls Royce engineers have taken the regular engine out of the Phantom and replaced it with a pair of electric motors rated at 145 kWh and possibly the biggest lithium-ion battery bank on four wheels.

The Phantom EV uses five lithium-cobalt-manganese-oxide (or NCM) pouch cells which form the shape of the engine and live under the bonnet. They get charged by three separate 3kW chargers that can handle three phase and single phase charging and don’t even need plugging in.

Rolls Royce has equipped the Phantom EV with a giant induction pad so it can park over an equally huge transfer pad and the charging takes place just like the Power Mat chargers you get for your phone. Charging will take anything from 8-20 hours.

Total power is around 380bhp and 800Nm of  torque, which is a chunk down on a regular Phantom. As too is the performance, with a 0-60mph of 8 seconds, a top speed of 100mph and a range of 125 miles.

But all this is academic as the 102EX is not destined for production – certainly not in its current form. The Phantom EV is about evaluating what works and what doesn’t and what Rolls Royce customers are happy with.

To that end, Rolls Royce will be touring the 102EX round the world in 2011 garnering feedback in the real world – both on the car’s gubbins and from Rolls Royce customers.

Can the national grid cope?

By Cars UK