Rolls-Royce CEO says hybrid powertrain cannot deliver the brand’s trademark ‘waftability’

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By Maya Cantina

Rolls-Royce CEO says hybrid powertrain cannot deliver the brand’s trademark ‘waftability’

NEW YORK — As much of the auto industry turns to hybrid vehicles as demand for battery power fails to meet high volume expectations, one automaker is thinking differently.

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars’ new CEO, Chris Brownridge, says the brand will not compromise the “easy waftability and power” that characterize its high-end vehicles.

“A hybrid wasn’t something we envisioned,” Brownridge said, because it wouldn’t provide those characteristics.

But strict emissions regulations in Asia and Europe and millionaires’ concern about environmental impact threaten the long-term practicality of the V-12 engines that have powered the platinum-plated brand for nearly a century.

This leaves Rolls-Royce to bet on electrons, not fossil fuels, for the next century.

The brand has announced its intention to have an all-electric lineup by the end of 2030, with combustion engines being discontinued after the 2031 model year. Rolls-Royce will double its electric vehicle lineup by the end of 2028, introducing a full-size crossover and a large sedan.

But Brownridge hinted that the British manufacturer will keep its powertrain options open.

“We have the ability to move to fully electric vehicles by 2030, but we will be led by our clients,” Brownridge told Automotive News at a media event here on Sept. 25.

“Different regions of the world will progress in terms of their powertrains at different rates,” he said. “So it’s important for us to be able to accommodate that.”

Early indications show that EV betting is promising. Demand for Rolls-Royce’s first zero-emission model is very high.

The lead time for deliveries of the Specter coupe to the US initially exceeded 18 months. Construction is now taking about six months, with construction of the complex taking more than a year.

The dual-motor Specter has 584 hp and a 0 to 60 mph time of 4.4 seconds. The 102 kilowatt-hour battery provides a low center of gravity and an estimated driving range of 264 miles.

“The drivetrain enhances the Rolls-Royce characteristics,” said Brownridge. “I feel very confident about the future because whatever our clients want, we can make it happen.”

Specter strengthens Rolls-Royce’s future in another way. EVs are growth engines for purpose-built branded businesses, making dreams come true on the road.

About 75 to 80 percent of initial orders had significant adjustments, pushing the average transaction price to about $550,000, or 30 percent higher than the initial sticker.

Rolls-Royce’s bespoke business, which transforms series production models into unique custom statements, is a strategic priority for the exotic car supplier, which sold just 6,000 vehicles globally last year.

“Our goal is not to increase volume,” Brownridge said. “Our goal is to grow value for our clients.”

North America holds the largest share of the brand’s made-to-order business revenue, accounting for about a third. One in every three Rolls-Royce vehicles sold in the region has significant personalization. Special orders typically add 20 percent to the price, with high-end commissions potentially doubling or tripling that premium.

Rolls-Royce recently opened a design studio in Manhattan’s trendy Meatpacking District to boost its bespoke business.

The New York Private Office is a 6,000-square-foot building with a conversation room, kitchen, and terrace with views of the fashion hub of Chelsea and the surrounding Hudson River.

Rolls-Royce anticipates the new outpost will increase North American order revenue by up to 30 percent over the next two years.

The Private Offices here, which join similar hubs in Dubai and Shanghai, make the high-end customization experience on offer at Rolls-Royce’s headquarters in Goodwood, UK, more accessible. A fourth studio is planned to be located in Seoul, South Korea, later this year.

“Not all clients can come to Goodwood,” Brownridge said. “So Goodwood is now coming to its clients.”

Establishing a design team in a region with a high concentration of customers helps Rolls-Royce better understand the zeitgeist in the world’s cultural capital.

“We listened,” Brownridge said. “It is important for us to be informed about changing luxury preferences and trends.”

This design studio feeds the imagination of Rolls-Royce’s richest customers and challenges the brand’s designers and craftsmen to make those desires a reality.

“Often, there will be clients who want certain customizations outside of the norm, and that’s where Private Offices comes in to make that happen,” says Brownridge.

He remembers a customer who asked for an exterior paint job that matched the color of his dog’s eyes and an interior that reflected his fur.

The studio provides exclusive product previews and thoughtful commission consultations. Customers are assigned a dedicated, bespoke client experience manager and in-house designer.

White glove service is reserved for the most complex and valuable buildings. Projects commissioned at the Private Office site include a $3 million-plus Phantom Syntopia with scent-emitting headrests and a one-of-a-kind Cullinan decked out with a mother-of-pearl interior.

New York Private Office manages several Specter builds, including Lunaflair.

The commission features custom holographic paint inspired by lunar halos, where light refracts through ice particles in cirrus clouds. The final result, developed over a year, consists of seven layers of varnish, including a pearlescent finish supplemented with magnesium fluoride and aluminum flakes. Rolls-Royce says this technique produces a deep metallic effect in low light conditions, which turns into a bright rainbow of colors in bright sunlight.

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