Rolls-Royce Considers Alternatives To Battery EVs

Last year, Rolls-Royce unveiled its first-ever electric vehicle, the Spectre. With an EPA-estimated range of 260 miles, the ultra-luxury EV is the beginning of the marque's eco-friendly era. However, the Goodwood-based brand is considering hydrogen fuel cell vehicles in the future, according to the CEO, Torsten Muller-Otvos.

Muller-Otvos told Autocar that he thinks a "hydrogen combustion engine is nothing I would in any way look into because that was tested already years ago." BMW experimented with the idea in the 2000s with a specially modified BMW 7 Series (E65) called the Hydrogen 7. Just 100 examples were made and leased to select customers for a short time.

"[That] is not the most efficient way to use hydrogen. If hydrogen will be used in the future, then it's fuel cells. And fuel cells are nothing different from a battery. It is just how you get the energy," added the CEO.

However, this is not expected to happen anytime soon. Rolls-Royce will wait until the technology has reached a more advanced stage. "That is definitely something we would pursue as Rolls-Royce. Why not? We might exit batteries, and we might enter into fuel cells," said Muller-Otvos.

A Rolls-Royce is, first and foremost, designed to be the finest luxury vehicle on earth. But luxury extends beyond the wood veneer and soft leather. True luxury is freedom, the ability to travel at high speed (and effortlessly) without compromise or worry.

If a hydrogen fuel-cell Rolls-Royce can't deliver on all fronts, it will be compromised - and that's not a word you will find in the carmaker's (sorry, luxury goods maker) vocabulary.

Muller-Otvos' comments come at a time when Rolls-Royce's parent company, BMW, is busy testing the iX5 hydrogen-powered SUV globally.

Available in highly-limited numbers (just five will be offered in California), the SUV produces 369 horsepower and has a range of 310 miles. Refilling the cells takes less than five minutes, making it far more convenient than charging a typical battery electric vehicle.

But while most Rolls-Royce owners already have EV charging infrastructure in their garages, refueling with hydrogen poses a more significant challenge. "You can't obviously have hydrogen charging at home, whereas [with battery EVs] you have one big advantage, and all our clients have big garages. There is lots of space at home, and there is lots of space in office buildings to install charging," said Muller-Otvos.

The automaker will continue to evaluate the hydrogen arena and will continue to assess the possibility of hydrogen-powered vehicles. Rolls-Royce cars are well-suited to electrification owing to their relaxed nature, refinement, and effortless performance.