If you want a vintage Rolls-Royce without the low rumble of an internal combustion engine, Guildford-based Evice has just what the doctor ordered. The company has developed an electric powertrain for classic Rolls-Royce models like the Corniche and the Silver Shadow, and it has started testing the first prototype.
Evice points out that it developed much of the technology required to EV-swap a decades-old Rolls-Royce in-house. Called XP1, the first prototype is powered by a 77-kilowatt-hour battery pack that zaps its electric motors into motion, though there’s no word yet on exactly how many motors the drivetrain uses.
Regardless, the 800-volt system delivers 400 brake horsepower and over 200 miles of range. While that output represents a generous improvement over the stock Corniche, which put roughly 218bhp under the driver’s right foot, keep in mind the original car wasn’t lugging around a heavy battery. Suspension and braking changes keep the weight in check while retaining the ride quality that Rolls-Royce is known for.
Evice went through the trouble of wrapping the Corniche-based XP1 in black-and-white camouflage, but it doesn’t look like much has changed in the styling department. The big saloon looks pretty much like an old-school Rolls-Royce, except it doesn’t have an exhaust outlet. Inside, the company installed heated, ventilated, and power-adjustable front seats, air conditioning, a beefier sound system, and a rearview camera. There’s also a touchscreen compatible with wireless Apple CarPlay hidden in the dashboard.
If everything goes according to plan, Evice will funnel the lessons learned during the testing phase into a near-production model scheduled to hit the road during the first quarter of 2025. Customer deliveries will start in the spring of 2026, though pricing information hasn’t been announced.
