Currently reading: Electrified classic car firm Lunaz reveals two Rolls-Royce EVs

Phantom V and Silver Cloud get ground-up restorations and electric powertrains from Silverstone firm

Classic car electrification firm Lunaz has revealed two new models for its burgeoning line-up of converted historics: zero-emissions versions of the 1961 Rolls-Royce Phantom V and Silver Cloud.

Just 30 build slots will be made available in a selection of bodystyles that include four-door limousine, two-door coupé and drop-head coupé. Prices for a Silver Cloud begin at £350,000 excluding local taxes and an electric Phantom starts at £500,000. According to the company, it has already accepted orders from existing clients.

Each retro-styled EV is visually unmodified and undergoes a coachbuilt restoration process but has its original petrol motor swapped for a secretive, in-house-developed electric powertrain that produces 516lb ft and 375bhp. Lunaz claims a range of more than 250 miles from an 80kWh battery pack and a 0-60mph time of less than five seconds.

“The time is right for an electric Rolls-Royce,” company founder David Lorenz said. “We are answering the need to marry beautiful classic design with the usability, reliability and sustainability of an electric powertrain.

“More than ever, we are meeting demand for clean-air expressions of the most beautiful and luxurious cars in history.”

95 Rolls royce cloud by lunaz official studio rear

The Silverstone-based firm already offers electrified versions of the Jaguar XK120 sports coupé, which is set to be delivered to customers towards the end of 2020, the XK120 convertible and its XK140 sibling. The company plans to double the size of its UK workforce to meet demand for the converted restorations.

Lunaz finished testing and development of the electric Jaguars before the UK went into lockdown on 23 March, subsequently taking orders via video consultation with customers. The firm claims its unique business model - supplying only to customers with whom it has a direct existing relationship - has shielded it from the issues that have affected mainstream manufacturers during the pandemic. 

Each car converted by Lunaz is 3D scanned prior to any work being carried out so that engineers can create CAD renders to “ensure technical perfection”. The car is then stripped down ahead of a full restoration, with all coachbuilding and trimming work carried out by the firm's own engineers. Interiors are subtly modernised with upgraded sound systems, infotainment systems and wi-fi functionality. Prices for a Lunaz conversion start from £350,000.

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Bentley by lunaz   in build

Lunaz says that because it has managed to continue production in line with social-distancing practices, it remains on track to double its workforce by the end of the year to cope with a "surge in orders globally", supplementing a team that currently comprises workers with experience at Rolls-Royce, McLaren, Aston Martin, Cosworth, Volkswagen and Formula 1.

In addition to the flagship Jaguar models, Lunaz offers electric versions of the original Bentley Continental, produced from 1955 to 1965, to its exclusive customer base. The first - a rare Continental S2 Flying Spur - is said to have been commissioned by a car collector who will use it as a daily driver.

Lunaz is also in talks with several high-end hospitality firms about the possibility of incorporating the modernised classics into existing limousine fleets.

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Felix Page

Felix Page
Title: Deputy editor

Felix is Autocar's deputy editor, responsible for leading the brand's agenda-shaping coverage across all facets of the global automotive industry - both in print and online.

He has interviewed the most powerful and widely respected people in motoring, covered the reveals and launches of today's most important cars, and broken some of the biggest automotive stories of the last few years. 

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turbinecol 21 August 2020

Nice coach work but pity about the powertrains

Pure virtue signalling and nothing else. Fortunately genuine enthusiasts wouldn't be taken in by such nonsense. 

rare 21 August 2020

turbinecol wrote:

turbinecol wrote:

Pure virtue signalling and nothing else. Fortunately genuine enthusiasts wouldn't be taken in by such nonsense. 

I am now not a 'genuine enthusiast' because I like something some bloke on the internet doesn't.  

 

275not599 21 August 2020

In turbinecol's opinion

In turbinecol's opinion, no one who is genuinely enthusiastic about 60s Rolls Royces would do this, and I agree with him.  A genuine enthusiast likes a car for what it is, not for the customising opportunities like electric propulsion, Lambo doors etc.  Feel free to differ, that's how these forums work.

rare 21 August 2020

275not599 wrote:

275not599 wrote:

In turbinecol's opinion, no one who is genuinely enthusiastic about 60s Rolls Royces would do this, and I agree with him.  A genuine enthusiast likes a car for what it is, not for the customising opportunities like electric propulsion, Lambo doors etc.  Feel free to differ, that's how these forums work.

 

This conversion is not the equivalent of lambo doors haha. The cars aesthicslly look almost entirely like originals that have received a nut and bolt restoration (oh wait, that's because they are) but with the added benefit of more power, more refinement, less maintance and greater reliability.  

I know which I would rather have, as I whisper past you attending an oil or coolant leak on a summers day. 

275not599 22 August 2020

I'll be whispering past you

I'll be whispering past you as you recharge on your way to admire the now all-electric Mallard steam locomotive.

275not599 21 August 2020

Let's stop putting a green halo

Let's stop putting a green halo on this toys for the rich scheme.  A decent Silver Cloud is £40K, a really first class one is £80K.  Spending £350K+ for an electrified Cloud is for people who are likely already to be leading a lifestyle highly productive of CO2.  Better to buy a modern EV and keep the Cloud for occasional drives and shows.  You might as well improve the Venus de Milo by putting arms on her, yeah, and make them animatronic, so she waves as you walk by.

Stockholm Calling 21 August 2020

A suitable candidate for conversion

This makes a lot of sense, these vehicles are all about arriving in style so a silent powertrain is desirable, as is being able to climb out the back seat and not be met by the scent of exhaust fumes from the old L series V8.  I would never want to see an electric conversion of classics that have great engines, eg a Miura or Lancia Aurelia, but this is ok. 

As for the usual moaning about the price, how much do you expect a low volume ground up electric conversion of aRolls Royce to cost?!  You will pay at least 350k for a new Phantom so it's comparable.

 

Torque Stear 21 August 2020

Stockholm Calling wrote:

Stockholm Calling wrote:

This makes a lot of sense, these vehicles are all about arriving in style so a silent powertrain is desirable, as is being able to climb out the back seat and not be met by the scent of exhaust fumes from the old L series V8.  I would never want to see an electric conversion of classics that have great engines, eg a Miura or Lancia Aurelia, but this is ok. 

As for the usual moaning about the price, how much do you expect a low volume ground up electric conversion of aRolls Royce to cost?!  You will pay at least 350k for a new Phantom so it's comparable.

With regards to cost I think this favours EVs at the high end.

Battery cell is just a battery cell whether it is installed in a supermini or a classic Royce. A Model 3 rear motor has a manufacturing cost of less than $1000.

Rebuilding a V12 engine is going to set you back ~ £20k

Most of the cost here will be in the restoration not the drivetrain.

I remember an article about 10 years ago on an EV Phantom concept where the author had made the assumption that as an EV such as Leaf cost about twice what comparable ICE car did that an EV Rolls-Royce would cost twice what a Phantom did. I remember thinking no, its drivetrain would probably cost twice what Leafs would so would be basically insignificant to the price of the car.

(BMW) Rolls-Royce really dropped a clanger on that one, the reason they didn't go forward with an EV was that at the time they claimed their customers didn't want it.....

At the time Tesla would have sold them the a re-packaged Model S drivetrain with a bigger battery.

 

typos1 21 August 2020

Torque Stear wrote:

Torque Stear wrote:

Stockholm Calling wrote:

This makes a lot of sense, these vehicles are all about arriving in style so a silent powertrain is desirable, as is being able to climb out the back seat and not be met by the scent of exhaust fumes from the old L series V8.  I would never want to see an electric conversion of classics that have great engines, eg a Miura or Lancia Aurelia, but this is ok. 

As for the usual moaning about the price, how much do you expect a low volume ground up electric conversion of aRolls Royce to cost?!  You will pay at least 350k for a new Phantom so it's comparable.

With regards to cost I think this favours EVs at the high end.

Battery cell is just a battery cell whether it is installed in a supermini or a classic Royce. A Model 3 rear motor has a manufacturing cost of less than $1000.

Rebuilding a V12 engine is going to set you back ~ £20k

Most of the cost here will be in the restoration not the drivetrain.

I remember an article about 10 years ago on an EV Phantom concept where the author had made the assumption that as an EV such as Leaf cost about twice what comparable ICE car did that an EV Rolls-Royce would cost twice what a Phantom did. I remember thinking no, its drivetrain would probably cost twice what Leafs would so would be basically insignificant to the price of the car.

(BMW) Rolls-Royce really dropped a clanger on that one, the reason they didn't go forward with an EV was that at the time they claimed their customers didn't want it.....

At the time Tesla would have sold them the a re-packaged Model S drivetrain with a bigger battery.

 

I remember that conept and that article, was it really 10 years ago !!???

typos1 21 August 2020

Stockholm Calling wrote:

Stockholm Calling wrote:

This makes a lot of sense, these vehicles are all about arriving in style so a silent powertrain is desirable, as is being able to climb out the back seat and not be met by the scent of exhaust fumes from the old L series V8.  I would never want to see an electric conversion of classics that have great engines, eg a Miura or Lancia Aurelia, but this is ok. 

As for the usual moaning about the price, how much do you expect a low volume ground up electric conversion of aRolls Royce to cost?!  You will pay at least 350k for a new Phantom so it's comparable.

 

In all my years reading and talking about cars in car circles, I ve never heard anyone slag off Rolls' calssic V8, I ve only ever heard praise for its smoothness, quiteness and low down torque, among other things, your post and one other in these comments are the first negatives I ve ever heard/read about this engine.

Stockholm Calling 21 August 2020

typos1 wrote:

typos1 wrote:

Stockholm Calling wrote:

This makes a lot of sense, these vehicles are all about arriving in style so a silent powertrain is desirable, as is being able to climb out the back seat and not be met by the scent of exhaust fumes from the old L series V8.  I would never want to see an electric conversion of classics that have great engines, eg a Miura or Lancia Aurelia, but this is ok. 

As for the usual moaning about the price, how much do you expect a low volume ground up electric conversion of aRolls Royce to cost?!  You will pay at least 350k for a new Phantom so it's comparable.

 

In all my years reading and talking about cars in car circles, I ve never heard anyone slag off Rolls' calssic V8, I ve only ever heard praise for its smoothness, quiteness and low down torque, among other things, your post and one other in these comments are the first negatives I ve ever heard/read about this engine.

I wouldn't say I was slagging off the Rolls V8, after all it was their mainstay for decades. There was quite a bit of talk about the very low bhp per litre figure. I just feel that for the type of use this vehicle will likely receive then a silent, vibration free electric motor would be an ideal fit. It would also future proof the car against any new urban clean air regulations.