Don’t discuss numbers. 

Among the many many threads connecting the Rolls-Royce of the previous to the Rolls-Royce of the electrical future, one of the crucial vital is the truth that the corporate’s first manufacturing electrical automotive, the Spectre, softens its focus away from the numerical.

In a world of acceleration instances, lateral Gs, and top-speed bragging rights, to not point out fast-charging specs and vary scores, which will take a little bit of adjustment. Nevertheless it may simply decrease the blood strain of the alpha sorts.

That half is nothing new from a model that for many years referred to its horsepower as “enough.” Luxurious patrons entrust this world benchmark for all luxurious manufacturers to offer a splendid driving expertise, whereas they discover aesthetic satisfaction in their very own customized creations, because the phrase “bespoke” applies to almost every little thing else, from choices to trim to cabin supplies, and extra. 

Going electrical additionally doesn’t complicate issues. As Rolls executives mentioned numerous instances at an introduction and first drive alternative this previous week in California’s Napa wine nation, the Spectre is a Rolls first and an EV second. Sure, it’s an extended overdue shift; Charles Stewart Rolls noticed the way forward for the model as electrical again in 1900.

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

Should you actually should know these numbers, right here they’re. The Spectre has 190-kw entrance and 360-kw rear excited synchronous motors, making a mixed peak of 584 hp and 664 lb-ft of torque. The rear motor can twist out all that torque by itself, whereas the entrance motor can contribute as much as 524 lb-ft of it. 

The battery pack carries 120 kwh of gross capability, however the Spectre faucets into 102 kwh of that as its web (usable) capability. It’s good for CCS-format DC quick charging at a peak 195 kw, enabling a 10-80% cost in 34 minutes. That seemingly modest capability—in a world of 200+ kwh electrical pickups—brings an EPA vary ranking of 260 miles. An enormous 22-kw onboard charger implies that, given the Degree 2 setup to assist it, the Spectre can get a full cost in a single’s personal storage in about 5 and a half hours. 

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

Rolls-Royce Spectre efficiency: No drama

Throughout my drive, I discovered rapidly that that is an electrical automotive that calms, soothes, and satisfies. It doesn’t produce the gasp-inducing launch expertise that generates TikTok response movies from the likes of Tesla Efficiency or Plaid fashions or different performance-oriented EVs. The Spectre takes off assertively however with an uncanny lack of drama. 

Since you anticipate the entrance finish to elevate and the physique to shift again, it’s nearly as if the Spectre leans into its launch. 

There’s a little bit of a trick behind that. To keep away from the jarring physique motions that may accompany high-power EVs, Rolls-Royce deliberately dialed in a delay of a fraction of a second to foot-to-the-floor launches—partly as a result of the practically instantaneous response of electrical propulsion can get forward of its chassis programs, which act to maintain the automotive degree and pleasant-riding. 

“Wafting” is the opposite time period that Rolls mentions often, and going totally electrical maximizes the model’s signature impression. The mix of a degree physique, a stoically gentle experience, and a super-hushed inside imply that it’s attainable to simply blast previous the pace restrict with out feeling such as you’ve blasted in any sense. Acceleration and velocity are nearly non-events. You additionally don’t hear sounds exterior or the automobile (with an asterisk I’ll get to). Andthe beautifully supportive entrance seats, with pillowy head assist and agency backing the place it counts do their finest to restrict drama with consolation.

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

As with different new Rolls-Royce fashions, the Spectre rides on a “magic carpet experience” suspension, right here with each lively damping and a four-corner air suspension. Parts work in concord with sensors for practically 20 completely different parameters for suspension conduct, together with decoupling the anti-roll bars to forestall undulation on uneven surfaces. 

The Spectre takes on uneven, slender backroads surprisingly effectively—aided by the sunshine contact of its four-wheel steering—however you’ll be able to’t anticipate to defy the realities of the tape measure. Excluding the mirrors, the Spectre is 5 inches longer than a standard-length Lincoln Navigator and about as huge as that plus-sized SUV. The Spectre rides on gigantic 23-inch wheels shod with low-profile Pirelli P Zero rubber—a key to getting the proportions and experience top all dialed in.

The Spectre follows the identical extruded-aluminum space-frame building as different present Rolls-Royce fashions, however there aren’t any carryover items, and what underpins this large electrical coupe is exclusive to it—exterior of the battery pack, which is generally shared with the BMW i7. Rolls-Royce constructed a construction aimed toward maintaining the middle of mass low and across the battery pack, whereas offering the ground top wanted for a spacious cabin. The space-frame is 30% stiffer than that of different Rolls-Royce automobiles, and every motor is mounted by itself subframe. 

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

Rolls-Royce Spectre vary and charging

Based mostly on what I noticed over about 140 miles that included a variety of speeds and a few mountainous topography, trip-computer outcomes urged a real-world driving vary of greater than 300 miles in light real-world touring in delicate temperatures (70s). My drive accomplice and I averaged 3.0 miles per kwh, so its 260-mile EPA ranking seems straightforward to attain in less-than-ideal situations.

The battery pack and vary have been chosen to optimize packaging with the wants of those that may truly take their Spectre on an extended highway journey, Rolls-Royce director of engineering Mihiar Ayoubi defined to Motor Authority. In accordance with the model, its house owners drive their Rolls-Royces about 3,200 miles a yr and have a median of “greater than seven automobiles to select from for any event.”

Tech equivalent to bidirectional charging isn’t on the menu, both. Homeowners are more likely to have a number of properties, with completely different automobiles at each, and their very own vitality grasp plan for every, so pondering of the automotive as a hub for every day life is one thing of a moot level. 

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

That leads on to one in all two parts that stood out to me as nice engineering achievements within the Spectre. To place it merely, Rolls-Royce managed to make this coupe really feel such as you’re sitting in it, not on it. That’s a problem with any electrical automobile that’s not an SUV, and right here some cautious work with the automotive’s seating and general packaging yielded a decrease, extra carlike really feel—even relative to different gasoline Rolls-Royce fashions. 

Solely after driving the Spectre, once I instantly hopped right into a Black Badge Ghost, did that distinction stand out so starkly. Whereas it might contain some trickery in shifting the cowl up a bit relative to the seats’ hip level, it feels such as you sit decrease within the Spectre. 

Rolls Spectre inside: A packaging triumph

That packaging triumph extends to the again seat, the place I managed to suit comfortably behind a number of completely different six-footers—and I’m 6-foot-7. There are locations to place your toes beneath the entrance seat, and getting out and in doesn’t require bracing on the seat or door due to the rear-hinged door. It’s well laid out.

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

The opposite breathtaking engineering achievement is how Rolls-Royce managed to imbue beautiful silence and quiet throughout the cabin with out using digital means equivalent to lively noise cancellation. It took a number of methodical engineering work, Ayoubi admitted, together with thick glass and further kilos of sound-deadening supplies, however the finish result’s you hear no motor whine or discount gear hum, not to mention highway or wind noise. 

That’s not unhealthy in any respect for a automobile that, in following Rolls-Royce custom, is  formed like a brick. Appears are a bit deceiving as is its coefficient of drag of simply 0.25, regardless of the blocky frontal space. 

Taking a remaining stroll round this magnificence and sizing all of it up, it’s farr extra sensible than I had anticipated. It has the requisite bins and cupholders entrance and rear. Trunk area is sweet for a pair massive suitcases in addition to a number of extra luggage, with further room in a rearmost effectively. Oddly, there’s no frunk area. Rolls execs mentioned house owners received’t miss it, however why not make the most of the EV structure so as to add each bit extra space?

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

Rolls-Royce interface: Simplicity could be very posh

The Spectre’s management interface factors really feel charmingly easy, in every little thing from the gauge cluster structure to the local weather controls, and to the actual steel vents you purpose your self with mechanical pulls. The infotainment system is managed through a controller or by contact, and an owner-exclusive app referred to as Whispers can remotely handle many features. 

In stark distinction to the automobiles from Rolls’ cousins at BMW, there aren’t any driving modes right here. Shopping for a Rolls-Royce means entrusting its engineers to calibrate the automotive for essentially the most pleasant expertise. There are simply two issues you are able to do to switch the driving conduct: Hit the “Low” toggle on the shifter to have interaction stronger regenerative braking, or have interaction brake maintain, which implies the automotive now not creeps forward while you elevate off the brake pedal. The automotive is at its finest in its default setting, the place it scrubs off just a bit extra velocity in coasting than a gasoline mannequin may. 

Nevertheless, I did have a difficulty with the power-opening function of the huge doorways, which merely stopped when partly open on just a few events. It was unclear if the wrongdoer was uneven floor, the lean of the automobile, or the wind. Conversely, a maintain of the brake pedal from the driving force seat or the toggle of a change from the entrance passenger seat at all times persistently closed the doorways.

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

The cabin isn’t at all times so quiet in the event you don’t need it to be. The Spectre permits a cabin-based supplemental sound. As design director Anders Warming described, it’s primarily based on a mixture of sounds and isn’t meant to sound just like the V-12 of a Rolls’ different automobiles, or to switch it, however somewhat to offer a special expertise. I discovered it a bit ominous and pointless—assume Gregorian monastery hum, with a growl blended in—and I recommend you simply rejoice the quiet. 

Likewise, if that you must assume an excessive amount of concerning the value of the Spectre, you in all probability can’t afford it (it begins at $422,750 within the U.S., together with a vacation spot payment of $2,750, and my take a look at automobile possible added as much as greater than a half-million). 

2024 Rolls-Royce Spectre

Rolls-Royce Spectre takeaways

By way of driving and the general expertise, the Spectre is without doubt one of the extra delightfully easy EVs in the marketplace (trick doorways apart). However who mentioned easy was low-cost? 

Very like the transcendence that Rolls’ gasoline automobiles accomplish in and of themselves, the Spectre takes you to a psychological area that lets you neglect concerning the numbers, and easily take within the expertise. 

Whether or not you’re so lucky to have the ability to afford a Rolls-Royce or not, isn’t that what life’s about?

Rolls-Royce paid for journey and lodging for Motor Authority to deliver you this firsthand report.