Reviewing the Rolls Royce Spectre

The Rolls Royce Spectre 2024 Review

The latest innovation from Rolls Royce - “a prophecy fulfilled spirit electrified” - will be 2023’s first ultra-luxury super coupe. Just when you thought that the BMW i7 and Mercedes EQS saloon were the pinnacle of luxury electric cars, the RR group decided to throw a proverbial cat amongst the pigeons with this fascinating piece of engineering.

Known for producing some of the most elegant vehicles in the world (after all you “commission” a Rolls Royce) the move to an all-electric platform adds significant weight and credence to the world of zero-emission transport. And it won’t be too long before their main competitor, Bentley, join the race for the most elegant and decadent EV; around 2025 a £250,000 product is set to hit the UK. And while these types of cars are reserved for a select proportion of society, it does give confidence that the move towards electric-only transport is possible.

How much is the new electric Rolls Royce Spectre?

The model is set to start at around £350,000, so in terms of a leasing price this will be looking at a monthly price of around £4,000 - £5,000 per month. But that is only for a standard vehicle and for anyone familiar with this brand, you may be aware that they are anything other than standard concept with an array of bespoke adjustments and additions.

And for a truly unique experience, you can engage a specialist to make your EV wholly bespoke - But expect this to push your purchase to an eye-watering sum - maybe a lottery win car or a footballer’s new daily drive?

The world’s most luxurious electric car?

Where the UK may see some surprising traction is with business contract hire market, in particular for successful entrepreneurs and senior executives. In the UK, if you use a car which your company / employer supplies you with then you will pay company car tax.

This is calculated in relation to the vehicle’s value, its CO2 and your personal income tax bracket. Within this, the emissions are the key metric for the level of tax that you pay.

For example, if you were to undertake a Rolls-Royce Cullinan petrol on a company car scheme, for a 40% tax payer this would be an annual tax exposure of over £37,500 per year - so a monthly deduction of £3,125 from your salary in tax alone! This is in addition to any lease rentals that the company would pay. In stark contrast, this electric Rolls-Royce would only expose you to around £3,000 of tax per year - so just £250 per month from your salary. And because the rentals are completely tax deductible (as the car emits 0 g/km), as well as up to 50% of the Vat on the finance rentals being reclaimable, there are solid financial reasons for using this form of funding. So don’t be surprised if you see a few more of these amazing EVs on the road than you would expect!

And is the Spectre a good EV?

While no one can argue against the luxury, finish and quality of this car, the battery performance will be crucial to its success. The 100 kWh lithium-ion battery will deliver 430 kW (or 577hp) for 0 - 62 times of 4.5 seconds and top speeds of 155 mph. The AWD platform will still offer competitive ranges with cold weather expected to allow for 205 miles on a motorway and 275 miles in urban / city conditions (on a full charge).

In warmer weather this will increase to 265 miles and 395 miles respectively. With an overall combined range of circa 285 miles this EV promises to deliver a convenient experience and when you consider this will be over 5m long and 2m wide, with a weight of nearly 3000 kg, this is anything other than a small car. In terms of charging, the 11 kW AC max will allow a full charge from 0 - 100% in around 11 hours with the 200 kW DC enabling a 35 minute fast charge for 10 - 80%. The Spectre has a fuel equivalent of around 115 mpg plus a full charge cost (on 34p/kWh) of around £35. 

When can I order the new Spectre?

Customers can register an interest with Rolls Royce directly or can see our latest Rolls Royce Spectre lease deals - but early indications suggest we won’t see this on the UK roads for at least 12 months. Maybe the perfect Christmas present for 2023?