The super-green Rolls-Royce Phantom offers zero-emissions motoring for a frugal 2p a mile – compared with 40p a mile for the standard Phantom.
That’s just as long as you can first afford the hefty price-tag – likely to be close to £1million.
Green machine: The Rolls-Royce Phantom will offer zero emissions at a cost of just 2p a mile to run - but comes with a hefty price tag of £1m
And to save wealthy owners the chore of having to plug it into the domestic mains themselves, the electric Rolls can even be recharged wirelessly through the ether – simply by driving over a special electric pad in the garage.
Some electric toothbrushes and mobile phones use similar technology.
The model, codenamed Phantom EX102, is unveiled today at the prestigious Geneva Motor Show.
The ultimate electric limousine also has the world’s biggest passenger car battery and can accelerate from rest to 60mph in just eight seconds, though its top speed is artificially limited to 100mph. It also has a range on maximum charge of 125 miles.
The battery pack is under the bonnet in the form of 96 lithium-ion cells. They have a three-year life-span if used and recharged daily. Charge time is 20 hours on a domestic mains, or eight hours on an industrial-strength booster.
The standard petrol-powered Phantom costing £300,000 achieves only around 15 miles to the gallon but has a top speed restricted to 155mph and accelerates from rest to 60mph in under six seconds.
Chief executive officer Torsten Müller-Ötvös said: 'We have engineered the world’s first battery electric vehicle for the ultra-luxury segment.'
The Daily Mail revealed in January that Rolls-Royce was planning an electric-powered limousine in time for the 2012 Olympics of which German parent company BMW is a major sponsor.
As with existing and earlier Rolls-Royce cars, the firm has first produced a fully functioning prototype to take on a ‘world tour’ to showcase to super-rich clients and take orders for the final production version.
Potential customers, or envious paupers, can follow its progress at www.electricluxury.com.
Batteries are charged directly from the mains via a wire, plug, and five-pin socket in the side of the car which replaces the conventional fuel filler cap – or by using the wireless system.
