Rolls-Royce Spectre Engineers Spent Ages On Regen Braking To Prevent Champagne Spillage

Jul. 05, 2023 6:48 AM ET byJarryd Neves Luxury /3 Comments

一个harsh regenerative braking system is a glass of bubbly's worst nightmare.

Rolls-Royce never lets us forget that it builds cars unlike any other manufacturer, and it's the same story with the all-electricSpectre, which has a specially tuned regenerative braking system that prevents champagne spillage.

Yes, that's a peculiar thing to engineer, but it's very Rolls-Royce. "We will never, ever have a brake pedal feeling where you are aggressively braking," explained the company's director of engineering, Dr. Mihiar Ayoubi. Talking toThe Drive, he said, "Our customers have multiple Rolls-Royces in their garage, and they are expecting the same behavior of Spectre as the other cars." In other words, they expect to feel as if they are being transported by fluffy cloud.

In the new Roller's standard drive mode, regenerative braking is inoperative, allowing owners (or chauffeurs) to carefully modulate the brake pedal for civilized and gentle stops. The driver actually has to press a designated button on the gear shifter to activate the setting, which enables the Spectre to make use of the regen braking system.

Rolls-Royce

一个youbi said Rolls-Royce "can't force customers" to use one-pedal driving all the time, hence the separate mode. But even in the regenerative brake mode, Spectre has been tuned to pass the infamous "champagne stop" test.

If you're not sure what this is, the Goodwood-based brand runs a White Glove chauffeur training program, which coaches drivers on how to deliver a supremely relaxing experience. One of these tests is known as the champagne stop, with Dr. Ayoubi explaining that "our chauffeurs are taught to brake in a way that our patron wouldn't spend one drop of champagne from his glass."

Violent or sudden regenerative braking wouldn't allow for that, so Rolls-Royce actively designed the Spectre's system so that the luxury EV could slow down in an effortless manner. In a combustion-engined vehicle, it is relatively simple to come to a neat and composed stop, but in an electric car with regen? Modulating the brakes is not as easy.

Rolls-Royce

That's why the Spectre has the designated B mode. But even then, Ayoubi explained that "the car won't dive in any situation."

EVs are also known for their rapid and sudden acceleration, but that simply wouldn't do for a Rolls-Royce motor vehicle. Instead of sending the full 664 lb-ft of torque to the driven wheels, the automaker purposefully delays the delivery for a stately take-off. In a V12-powered Rolls, Ayoubi explained that "There's a huge delay and lag between creating the moment the torque [builds up] and delivering the torque to the wheels."

To ensure the Spectre did the same, the director of engineering added "We wanted to design a delay to this instant dynamic system in order to deliver 'waftable' acceleration," adding that the driver shouldn't feel the weight of the car whilst driving.

You don't get to this level of perfectionwithout testing a car rigorously, and that's exactly what Rolls-Royce did with the Spectre.

Rolls-Royce

有你有它。你可以自信的泔水champagne in the rear quarters of the Spectre without fear of spilling even a drop on your designer threads. Eco-conscious doyennes and industrialists will be able to savor the true Rolls-Royce experience, without the faint hum of an unstressed twelve-cylinder engine.

一个s a reminder, the Spectre produces 577 horsepower which can propel it to 60 mph in 4.4 seconds. Power is sent to all four wheels, while the top speed is limited to 155 mph - not that the average Spectre owner cares about these figures.

Numbers that will matter to a prospective buyer are range and price. The ultra-luxe EV is anticipated to have an EPA-estimated range of 260 miles, which should be more than enough for most owners. As for price, the Spectre retails for $413,000, but this number can quickly inflate if you play it fast and loosewith the expansive options list.