The Square Mile’s most stately set of wheels has quietly gone electric. Oxford-based conversion specialist Electrogenic has removed the petrol powertrain from the City of London Corporation’s 1973 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI official limousine and replaced it with a 161bhp (120kW) electric motor, 310Nm of torque and a 62kWh battery.
The car made its public debut at Salon Privé, Blenheim Palace, this weekend. It joins a growing list of electrified Rolls-Royces from British restomod firms, including Electrogenic’s own 1929 Phantom II and the Phantom V and Corniche conversions offered by Silverstone-based rival Lunaz.
The project was commissioned during the mayoralty of Alderwoman Dame Susan Langley DBE, the 697th Lord Mayor of the City of London, and forms part of the Corporation’s target of net zero carbon emissions from its own operations by 2027.
Just 374 Phantom VIs were built, and this coachbuilt example stretches to a little under 20 feet. That leaves plenty of space under the long bonnet, where Electrogenic has packaged the 62kWh pack. It drives through a single-speed direct-drive transmission and delivers a real-world range of 100 to 120 miles, which the company says is ample for duties around the City, Greater London and further afield.
Should the Corporation ever want more, there is room to double the battery capacity later. A 100kW CCS rapid-charging socket allows quick top-ups between engagements.
Two modes: swift and stately
Electrogenic’s own control software gives the Phantom two distinct personalities. A ‘normal’ setting manages regenerative braking for relaxed one-pedal driving and brisk enough performance for town work.
The ‘ceremonial’ mode is the clever bit. It trims power and torque and softens the throttle map, so the chauffeur can hold the crawling pace demanded by civic processions and state occasions without a jerky right foot.
The rest of the changes are deliberately hard to spot. The original column-mounted automatic selector now works as a simple forward-neutral-reverse control, and a small screen showing battery and range data is tucked inside the glove box. Modern heating has been added for rear passengers, so dignitaries stay warm during winter parades.
As with all the firm’s conversions, nothing has been cut, drilled or welded, and the entire installation is reversible.
Steve Drummond, chief executive of Electrogenic, said: “We were honoured to be asked to electrify this significant motor car, and to play a part in the City of London Corporation’s journey to net zero. When it was launched in the late 1960s, the Rolls-Royce VI was the most refined and dignified limousine on the road. Now, thanks to electrification, its core character has been enhanced further: it is whisper quiet, effortless to drive with swift performance, and emits zero tailpipe emissions.”
Dame Susan explained that the Corporation had spent around five years weighing up options for its three ceremonial Rolls-Royces, from selling them and buying replacements to a full refurbishment.
“Following detailed consideration, it was concluded that the most sustainable and cost-effective solution in the long term was to retain these historic vehicles while bringing them into the modern era,” she said, adding: “This is exactly the kind of innovation we should embrace: respecting our heritage while finding new ways to make the mayoralty more sustainable, relevant and fit for the future.”
The Corporation reported a 66 per cent cut in its operational emissions against a 2018/19 baseline in its last major progress update.
For Electrogenic, the Phantom adds to a celebrity-heavy portfolio that includes Jason Momoa’s 1929 Rolls-Royce, a set of classic Land Rovers and Harley-Davidsons for the same actor, and an Aston Martin DB6 for comedian Jimmy Carr. Alongside one-off commissions, the company supplies plug-and-play conversion kits through a partner network and develops powertrain systems for car makers and defence customers from its Oxford base and a second facility in Huntington Beach, California.
