Rolls-Royce Spectre makes Asia-Pacific debut in Seoul

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars' first all-electric vehicle, Spectre, makes its Asia-Pacific debut in Seoul on Friday. (Rolls-Royce Motor Cars)

Rolls-Royce Motor Cars on Friday showcased its first all-electric vehicle, Spectre, in South Korea for the first time in the Asia-Pacific region.

“I must say that Korea has the largest number of preorders for this Rolls-Royce Spectre in the Asia-Pacific region and this is the reason why our Korean customers will be the first to see the Spectre in the Asia-Pacific region,” said Irene Nikkein, regional director of Asia-Pacific at Rolls-Royce Motor Cars, in a media unveiling event held at a botanical cafe in southern Seoul.

The exact figure for the preorders was not disclosed. The British high-end automaker said the EV will be officially launched in the country in the second half of the year and is expected to be delivered to local customers in the fourth quarter.

The sales of Rolls-Royce have increased by approximately 45 percent in the last three years, logging 234 units sold in 2022 alone. According to Rolls-Royce, the Seoul dealer has become its 5th-largest dealer in the world.

“The Spectre is a model that has all of Rolls-Royce’s bold future for electrification, a modern design combined with the essence of true engineering and an effortless super luxury experience, which is also the brand’s identity,” said Nikkein.

According to the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicle Test Procedure, or WLTP, the Spectre has a driving range of 520 kilometers per charge. With the powertrain capable of generating a maximum output of 430 kilowatt-hours and producing up to 91.8 kilogram-meters of torque, the EV can reach the speed of 100 kilometers per hour in 4.5 seconds from a standstill.

Heralding the slogan of a Rolls-Royce first and an electric car second, the Spectre underwent over 50,000 hours of test drives that covered a total distance of about 2.5 million kilometers for its development. Rolls-Royce said the EV is based on a “luxury architecture” made of 100 percent aluminum, improving the car’s hardness by 30 percent compared to the automaker’s existing models.

The starting price of the Spectre has been set at 622 million won ($488,000).