While other carmakers like Bentley plan to release models with plug-in hybrid or all-electric powertrains, Rolls-Royce will instead focus exclusively on the latter. This was revealed by company CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös when speaking to Roadshow recently.

However, the company will not rush the launch of its EV, and will only do so “when the time is right.” “We need to make smart decisions on where we invest our money. It may be OK for bigger companies to go into hybrids and all sorts of different technologies, but we needed to make a certain decision,” Müller-Ötvös said.

He also noted that legislation would change to favour full EVs over plug-in hybrids, particularly in major city centres where pollution is of particular concern. Additionally, the marque’s customers prefer the experience of full EVs to plug-in hybrids, with Müller-Ötvös saying they are more open to electric drive systems.

It isn’t known if the Rolls-Royce EV will be based on an existing platform of a current model, or a new one. The brand’s Architecture of Luxury, which underpins the current Phantom and Cullinan, is capable of handling a fully electric drive system. Previously, the company demonstrated its electrification know-how with the Phantom Experimental Electric (or 102EX) way back in 2011.

-paultan