Rolls-Royce launches new two-seater electric car

Luxury car manufacturer Rolls-Royce has unveiled a highly exclusive, hand-built two-seater electric convertible, dubbed Project Nightingale, with only 100 units set to be produced at its Goodwood headquarters. The BMW-owned company confirmed that deliveries for the new model are anticipated to begin in 2028. Measuring 5.76 meters in length—roughly equivalent to its flagship four- or five-seater Phantom saloon—the vehicle features a long bonnet designed to give it a "torpedo-shaped form." The design draws heavy inspiration from the company's experimental EX models of the 1920s and the Art Deco era. As a pure electric vehicle, the company noted that drivers will experience "virtually no mechanical noise." The launch of the new EV comes just a month after Rolls-Royce scrapped its previous pledge to sell exclusively pure-electric cars by 2030, announcing instead that it will continue to offer petrol engine vehicles beyond that date. Chris Brownridge, chief executive of Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, emphasized the bespoke nature of the vehicle. "Some of the most discerning Rolls-Royce clients in the world asked us for our most ambitious work." He added, "We responded by bringing three things together that have never co-existed in our brand: the complete design freedom of coachbuilding, our powerful, near-silent all-electric powertrain, and a uniquely potent yet serene expression of open-top motoring." Brownbridge adds Project Nightingale is the "most extravagant expression of what Rolls-Royce is capable of today". While Rolls-Royce does not publicly disclose vehicle prices, the automaker stated that Project Nightingale will sit between its Private Commission and Coachbuild product lines, which are estimated to cost more than £500,000 and £20m, respectively.