RR CEO: “Rolls-Royce will be ‘full electric’ by 2040”

The Queen Mom of premium brands, Rolls Royce is gearing for complete electrification, albeit rather measuredly so. 2040 will be the year Rolls Royce will be “full electric” CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös said in his latest interview.

The Rolls Royce chief gave international regulations as the reason for the electrification plan when speaking to the Financial Times. Says Müller-Ötvös: “Rolls-Royce will be ‘full electric’ by 2040 to comply with changes in international rules.”

The emphasis is on international as the CEO named both the UK and France and their planned diesel bans of which he believes that other countries such as the USA or Middle East would follow suit. The CEO also pointed out that their decision is driven more by “legal requirements in the markets worldwide” than environmental concerns over climate change.

The Rolls Royce CEO had hinted that much before when he pointed to Asia toughening their emission regulations. Said Torsten Müller-Ötvös: “We might well see, in the next decade, some Asian markets closing down city centers to combustion engines completely. And then, of course, electrification is a must.”

But until then, Rolls Royce is not in a hurry. Expect their first “full electric” model no sooner than within the next 10 years. But maybe by then it will glide on power from supercaps. RR had just recently entered a cooperation with Superdielectrics, a British startup that has been working on novel polymers. Together they want to create what they call “very high energy storage technology” reportedly.

Also the Rolls Royce engineering department has been working to electrify marine applications and the aerospace. For example, Norway’s cruise operator Hurtigruten has turned to Rolls Royce for a green update of its ocean liners. And then there is Airbus that is working with the Brits on introducing a hybrid passenger plane by 2020 (we reported).