How Supercar Brands Embrace the Electric Vehicle Era

Rolls-Royce Launches 'Spectre,' World's Most Expensive Electric Car
Aston Martin Collaborates with Electric Vehicle Maker Lucid
Porsche to Release Second Pure Electric Car Macan EV Next Year
Ferrari Pursues Electrification and Internal Combustion in Parallel... Incorporates Racing Expertise

As the paradigm of the global automotive market shifts towards electrification, supercar brands are facing deep concerns. In the internal combustion engine era, supercar brands differentiated themselves with high-performance engine technology, but in the electric vehicle era, decades of internal combustion know-how have become useless. Now, supercar brands are also rapidly shifting their focus to electrification. This is to survive competition with emerging companies like Tesla amid tightening environmental regulations worldwide.

Rolls-Royce's first pure electric vehicle, the 'Spectre,' is set to be released in the fourth quarter of this year. The starting price of the Spectre is 622 million KRW. Once on the market, it is expected to become the most expensive electric car currently available. Rolls-Royce chose Korea as the first country in the Asia-Pacific region to unveil the Spectre.

Rolls-Royce's First Pure Electric Car Spectre
Photo by Rolls-Royce

Customer deliveries are scheduled to begin in the fourth quarter of this year. It recently received certification from Korea's Ministry of Environment. The Spectre is a 4-seater coupe model with a maximum output of 430 kW and maximum torque of 91.8 kg·m. It accelerates from 0 to 100 km/h in 4.5 seconds. While its driving range per charge exceeds 500 km in Europe, it has been certified at 398 km according to domestic standards.

Aston Martin is enhancing the performance of its existing internal combustion models while also preparing to launch hybrid and electric vehicles. To release high-performance electric vehicles, it has partnered with the American electric vehicle company Lucid Motors. In June, Aston Martin announced that it would receive advanced technology from Lucid Motors in the design and manufacturing of electric vehicle powertrains and battery systems.

The first electric vehicle model born from this collaboration is expected to be released by the end of 2025. This model will be equipped with the electric motor and battery used in Lucid Motors' flagship electric vehicle, the 'Lucid Air.' The Lucid Air is known as a 'monster electric car' with a maximum output of 1,234 horsepower and a zero-to-60 mph acceleration time of 1.89 seconds.

Lucid Motors' electric car Lucid Air

Porsche plans to electrify 80% of its lineup by 2030. Having succeeded in the electrification transition with the Taycan electric vehicle, Porsche is preparing to launch its second electric vehicle, the Macan EV. Although the release schedule has been delayed from the original plan to stabilize the software, it is expected to be launched next year.

Additionally, Porsche is developing the 'K1 (codename),' a 7-seater flagship electric sports utility vehicle (SUV) positioned above the Cayenne. This vehicle is expected to be released as early as 2026 and will apply the next-generation electric vehicle platform SSP, which is being developed by the Volkswagen Group.

Porsche pure electric car Taycan
[Photo by Porsche]

Bentley plans to release its first pure electric vehicle in 2026. This model, an SUV based on the Volkswagen Group's electric vehicle-dedicated PPE platform, will be introduced first in the U.S. market. The second electric vehicle model will be a sedan applying the next-generation electric vehicle platform SSP.

Lamborghini's first pure electric vehicle is expected to be released around 2028. It is anticipated to be a 4-seater SUV similar in size to the Urus. Lamborghini has a phased plan to convert its lineup to hybrid in 2024 and then launch pure electric vehicles in 2028.

Ferrari has also set a strategy to fill 80% of its lineup with electric and hybrid models by 2030. At the same time, it will continue developing technologies to enhance the performance of the remaining 20% internal combustion engines. Ferrari will improve engine fuel efficiency and continue developing alternative fuels. Ferrari's first pure electric vehicle will be unveiled in 2025 and launched in 2026. Ferrari plans to incorporate its racing know-how into this electric vehicle.

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.