Charged-Up Phantom: Rolls-Royce 102EX Phantom Electric Car
Rolls Royce is planning the most luxurious electric car – Rolls-Royce 102EX or the Phantom Experimental Electric. In the car, the standard 6.75-litre V12 engine and automatic gearbox are replaced by a huge battery pack and twin-electric motors driving the rear wheels.
The 71kWh battery pack weighs 640kg, 90kg more than the combined weight of the conventional engine and transmission. It takes 20 hours to recharge the huge battery (the largest ever fitted to a car). Using an alternative three-phase electrical supply it takes eight hours for a full charge. The 102EX also features induction charging, using a pad mounted under the floor. Positioning the car over a transmitter, installed in the parking space allows the battery to be recharged across a gap of 150mm.
There are two big advantages over internal combustion engines, even one as refined as the Phantom’s V12. Firstly, at speed and under hard acceleration, you can really sense the lack of mechanical inhibition — or heavy motor — behind the bulkhead. The second is the unhindered stream of torque because of the power from the electric motors. The obvious obstacle to the production viability is its average range and lengthy recharging time, unless you happen to have access to an industrial-strength electricity supply. And the battery pack has just a three-year life, given daily use.
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However, this is still perhaps the most luxurious way to travel with a clearer conscience. And you’d need an estimated Rs. 7.1 crore to buy one if it makes it to production.
