The all-electric, hyper-luxurious Rolls-Royce Specter has entered the second phase of what must surely be the world’s longest-running testing programme.
Having completed its first phase of testing in April just 55 kilometers from the Arctic Circle, the Specter is scheduled to drive 2.5 million kilometers throughout the lengthy programme.
However, this next phase of testing, which will cover 625,000 km according to the famous automotive and aerospace brand, will be (almost) a world away from the icy landscapes of the Arctic Circle.
Instead, the Specter will traverse the French Riviera, more than a few times, it seems. Although many tests will be carried out at the Miramas Autodrome facilities, it will also be driven on the roads of the Costa Azul.
If you are lucky enough to be on vacation there, let us know if you see it!
The Specter is billed as the “most anticipated Rolls-Royce ever”, according to Rolls-Royce Motors Cars CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvö.
“Freed from the constraints associated with the internal combustion engine, our battery electric vehicle will offer the purest expression of the Rolls-Royce experience in the brand’s 118-year history,” it said in a statement.
“This latest phase of testing demonstrates a suite of advanced technologies that underpin symbolic change for Rolls-Royce as it moves into a bright, bold and all-electric future.”
Underpinning these bold statements are equally ambitious technical details. Rolls-Royce says the Specter will be the brand’s most aerodynamic vehicle to date with a coefficient of drag of 0.25 (although we note this is reasonably far from the likes of the Model S (0.208) and the solar-powered Lightyear One). (0.2) .)
Rolls-Royce is also excited about the connectivity of the Spectre, stating that “it has 141,200 transmitter-receiver relationships and has more than 1,000 functions and more than 25,000 sub-functions”. Apparently this is around three times as many signals as are emitted by a typical Rolls-Royce.
The ability to process so much information gives the Specter “decentralized intelligence” depending on the brand, which makes the car more responsive.
This is where the Riviera program comes into play. Rolls-Royce says its most experienced engineers will create dedicated controls for the 25,000 sub-functions so the car can respond quickly to weather, driver behavior and various road conditions.
The aim is to offer the Rolls Royce “magic carpet ride” experience, which, let’s face it, should be the rigor of today for the French Riviera.
Bridie Schmidt is an associate editor at The Driven, sister site to Renew Economy. She has been writing about electric vehicles since 2018 and has a keen interest in the role zero-emission transport has to play in sustainability. She has been featured on podcasts such as Download This Show with Marc Fennell and Shirtloads of Science with Karl Kruszelnicki and is a co-organizer of the Northern Rivers Electric Vehicle Forum. Bridie also owns a Tesla Model 3 and has it available for rent on evee.com.au.
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