Rolls-Royce Ditches Plans To Full Electric By 2030, V12 To Live On

Rolls-Royce has shockingly abandoned its goal to go fully electric by 2030. The British luxury marque pledged to become a full electric vehicle (EV) brand by the end of this decade in 2022 when the company introduced its first EV model – Spectre. However, the plan has taken a big dent considering the slowdown of EVs in the global market. 

According to a recent report by The Times (UK), newly appointed CEO Chris Brownridge confirmed that Rolls-Royce has shelved its plan to transition to an all-electric lineup by 2030. Instead, the company will continue producing its signature 12-cylinder engines for the foreseeable future.

Brownridge revealed that a mix of easing regulatory pressure and softer demand has prompted Rolls-Royce to rethink its earlier roadmap. He pointed out that enthusiasm for EVs isn’t  the same for every market across the world. He further added that the original push toward full electrification “made sense at the time”.

Earlier this year, BMW Group, the parent company by Rolls Royce, also indicated it isn’t ready to phase out combustion engines just yet, including the 6.75-litre V12 unit used by Rolls-Royce. The group added that with targeted updates — particularly to components such as the exhaust system — it can keep these engines compliant with evolving emissions norms like Euro 7.

For the moment, there’s no talk of pulling the plug on the Rolls-Royce Spectre. The EV saw strong initial interest when it arrived for the 2023 model year, but momentum appears to have cooled. By 2025, sales had dropped sharply, down 47 percent to 1,002 units. Even then, it managed to edge past the Rolls-Royce Ghost, which recorded 993 units over the same period.

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Other Brands Also Pulling Back on EVs

It isn’t just Rolls Royce that has pulled back its EV ambitions in recent months. Earlier, European luxury and performance carmakers like Lamborghini, Porsche and Bentley have all revised their EV plans. Lamborghini recently acknowledged that interest in fully electric supercars remains “very limited,” prompting it to push back timelines for its first EV. That said, the brand hasn’t abandoned electrification altogether—it still sees a fully electric model as part of its long-term roadmap. In the near to medium term, however, Lamborghini will continue to prioritise hybrid petrol powertrains.

Meanwhile, Bentley has also taken a more measured approach. In its latest annual earnings update, the company scaled back its earlier plan to introduce five electric vehicles by 2035. Instead, it appears to be reassessing its strategy beyond its upcoming entry-level electric offering, often referred to as the Bentley Urban SUV. Positioned as the smallest model in Bentley’s portfolio, this EV is currently slated to debut next year.