British EV company Electrogenic, known for its classic car EV conversions, has rolled out the red carpet for a 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II, converted bespoke into a clean, silent, electric machine future-proofed for the next “100 years of motoring”.
While Electrogenic is already known for its game-changing drop-in-kits for Land Rover Defender, classic Porsche 911, original Mini, and most recently, the stunning 1960s Jaguar E-Type Roadster, the company said this was perhaps their “most complex classic car EV conversion yet” and showcased the Oxford-based firm’s “creativity, craftsmanship and technical capabilities”.
The conversion was commissioned by a private collector, and the Phantom is making its public debut at Salon Privé, one of the world’s leading Concours events.
Steve Drummond, Director of Electrogenic, said: “We’re delighted to reveal this fabulous EV converted Phantom II to the world. It has been an immensely complicated and rewarding project, carried out over the course of 18 months by our team of sector-leading engineers, programmers and fabricators.
“This is undoubtedly the most complex classic car EV conversion yet attempted, the stunning results really are a testament to the world-leading talents of our team. We’re immensely proud of the results, and we’re delighted to be unveiling it at Salon Privé, here at Blenheim Palace. It’s the perfect place to reveal such a stately piece of British motoring history, now updated and future-proofed for the next hundred years of clean, silent electric motoring.”
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The car was originally powered by a gargantuan 7.7-litre pushrod straight-six, producing between 40 and 50bhp, bolted directly to a four-speed, non-synchromesh manual gearbox. In its standard configuration Rolls-Royce claimed a top speed of ‘well over 80mph’. Now, the petrol engine and gearbox have been carefully removed, replaced by 93kWh of batteries which have been carefully integrated into the existing structure of the car.
The batteries feed an electric motor mounted between the chassis rails via a custom single-speed direct drive transmission, delivering 150kW and 310Nm of torque to the fixed reduction gear, which in turn delivers 1,000Nm to the prop shaft. The systems are all seamlessly linked and managed by a bespoke suite of software – all developed in house by Electrogenic’s software engineers.
And if you’re worried about the pristineness of the Phantom, rest assured. Because as with every Electrogenic conversion, the battery configuration has been tailored specifically to the model in question; housed within the car’s original architecture, no modifications are made to the structure itself.
The batteries themselves are housed beneath a gleaming, hand-formed and hand-riveted aluminium cowling – a sculptural design element that delights every time you raise the Phantom’s centrally hinged bonnet.
The modernisations also extend to the audio setup: the cabin now houses a sate of the art, high-end multi-speaker HiFi system, with integrated sub-woofer under the rear seat and full Bluetooth connectivity. All of this is discreetly hidden from view.
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The different elements add up to deliver a stunning, cohesive package. Electrogenic says that the updated machine is a “delight to drive, a Phantom that performs as Rolls-Royce’s engineers of a century ago would have wanted had they possessed the requisite technology: it is silent, effortless and graceful”.
“While transformed in terms of performance and ease of use, as with all Electrogenic conversions, the car’s tuning and calibration – honed over countless test miles – have been carefully shaped to reflect the original character of the car. Rather than transforming it beyond all recognition, the Phantom drives like a better version of its original self,” said Electrogenic.
Drummond added: “We’re honoured to have been asked to build this special car for such a delightful private collector, someone who loves their cars and is deeply passionate about the environment. It’s been an immensely rewarding collaborative process with the owner, bringing our shared vision to life.
“This really has been a fascinating project to work on, and one that we’ve poured our hearts and souls into. We’re delighted with the results; it combines the most stunning 1920s coachbuilding with an updated driving experience that’s entirely befitting of a Rolls-Royce. Every single member of the Electrogenic team has contributed to this project and we are all proud to have added our mark to this remarkable motor car, readying it for a further hundred years of dignified, stately – and now clean – motoring.”
