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Rolls-Royce Phantom 102EX electric car exposed in prestigious photos

We've gone hands-on with the gorgeous experimental electric Rolls Royce Phantom. Check out our photos of the environmentally friendly luxury car, and read up on the specs.

Luke Westaway
Luke Westaway is a senior editor at CNET and writer/ presenter of Adventures in Tech, a thrilling gadget show produced in our London office. Luke's focus is on keeping you in the loop with a mix of video, features, expert opinion and analysis.
Luke Westaway
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Rolls-Royce might not be the brand you'd normally associate with tree-hugging electric power, but the Goodwood-based car company's embracing mother nature, and has given Crave a peek at an experimental electric version of its iconic Phantom saloon car.

Click through the gallery above to ogle the fanciest car you've ever laid eyes on, or have your butler operate the mouse thing for you.

Codenamed the 102EX, the electric Phantom boasts what's most likely the biggest battery ever strapped to an electric vehicle. It's a lithium-ion affair, with a capacity of 71kWh, which we're told gives the car a maximum range of 125 miles, and a more modest 100 miles if you're heavy on the accelerator and crank up the air-con.

That isn't particularly impressive, but Rolls Royce owners won't want to travel that far anyway -- 100 miles is more than enough to get you from embassy to embassy, or out to your private airfield.

Depending on what kind of charger you're using, loading the 102EX with crackly electrical power will take somewhere between 8 and 24 hours. There's the option to charge via induction pad too when you park the car over a special rubber mat. Check it out in the photos.

Despite ditching the V12 engine, the 102EX doesn't compromise much when it comes to speed. Its velocity is capped at 100mph, but it goes from 0-60 in 7.8 seconds -- a little slower than the regular Phantom, which can do it in 5.7 seconds. That said, it does offer silent acceleration, which might passingly entertain wealthy Londoners as they sneak up on unsuspecting cyclists.

The 102EX is just a prototype, so you won't be able to buy one any time soon (not that we'd ever be able to afford one anyway). This car is Rolls-Royce testing the waters to see how its prestigious and discerning customers react to the idea of an electric luxury car. We like it, but what do we know?

Would you be happy to be seen showing up at top-secret New World Order meetings in the 102EX? Let us know in the comments, or on our Facebook wall

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This is the Rolls-Royce Phantom 102EX. It's big, and gorgeous.
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It has a range of 125 miles. If you put your foot down a bit and crank up the air-con, 100 miles is more realistic.
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Being a Phantom, it's massive enough to terrify nearby cyclists.
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It does 0-60 in 7.8 seconds.
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Speed is capped at 100mph, however.
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This is the charging panel, on the right side of the car.
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Charging takes about 8 hours from a three-phase charging station, or 24 hours on a single-phase charge.
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The charging panel is reasonably discreet.
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There's an induction pad too, which charges your car in around 8-10 hours. It takes longer than a standard charge because some power is wasted.
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Let's take a look under the bonnet...
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That ain't no V12.
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The battery units are visible here. The 102EX has a 71kWh battery -- the largest ever crammed into a passenger car.
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The red Rolls-Royce logo is a testament to the car's experimental nature, we're told. (It's usually a classy black.)
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Another experimental touch -- an uplit Spirit of Ecstasy. We're not sure this will appeal to the typical Rolls-Royce clientele.
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In this diagram you can see where the induction panel sits on the bottom of the car.
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This is where Jeeves sits.
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The interior is -- of course -- all leather, including the floor, which is saddle leather. This car smells amazing.
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Running slightly low on juice. Time to charge!
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And the coup de grace -- what looks like part of the door...
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...is actually an umbrella! Marvellously classy.

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