Rolls-Royce to go electric

The luxury car maker Rolls Royce will unveil at the Geneva Motor Show a purely one-off electric version of the Phantom to gauge customer reaction, the company has announced.

'We have engineered the world's first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment,' Rolls Royce CEO Torsten Muller-Otvos said in a press release.

'With this vehicle, we begin an exploration into alternative drive-trains, seeking clarity on which alternative technologies may be suitable to drive Rolls Royce motor cars of the future.'

Details about the model, named the 102EX, are being withheld until the debut at the Geneva Motor Show.

After the show the car will be taken on a tour of North America, Europe, the Middle East and Asia to test reaction on the main markets and the car's ability to deliver an acceptable range between re-charges and in extreme weather conditions.

'I must be convinced that any alternative drive-train we choose for the future delivers an authentic Rolls-Royce experience,' Muller-Otvos said.

'It must be a technology that is right for our customers, our brand and which sets us on a sound footing for a sustainable future.'