The Salon Privé Concours d’Elegance luxury car show is taking place at Britain’s Blenheim Palace between August 30 and September 2. One of the most extraordinary cars at the event will be a 1929 Rolls-Royce Phantom II with a modern electric twist.

Originally introduced in the 1920s, the Rolls-Royce Phantom II was powered by a 7.7-liter straight-six engine that produced around 40 to 50 horsepower. However, Electrogenic, a specialist in electric vehicle (EV) conversions based in Oxford, has transformed this classic car into a one-of-a-kind EV for an environmentally conscious private collector.

The conversion involves a 93-kilowatt-hour battery pack, partially housed under a handcrafted aluminum cowling where the original engine used to be. The rest of the pack is positioned between the chassis rails. This setup allows the converted Rolls-Royce to have a practical range of 150 miles, according to InsideEVs. 

The electric motor, with a power output of 150 kilowatts (or 201 horsepower) and 228 pound-feet of torque, is situated between the chassis rails and transfers 737 pound-feet (or 1,000 Newton-meters) of torque to the prop shaft.

During the conversion process, Electrogenic faced various challenges, including preserving the car’s unique “through-flow” chassis lubrication system. The through-flow lubrication system is essential for the smooth driving experience that the Phantom II is famous for.

Electrogenic also had to redesign the cable-operated braking system. The brakes were not originally designed for an electric powertrain when they were created almost a century ago.

However, the team at Electrogenic found solutions to maintain the functionality of these systems in the converted electric car.

To accommodate the large battery pack, the position of the brake pedal and levers needed to be changed, as they were originally located under the bulkhead. Electrogenic also added a hydraulic booster between the redesigned brake pedal and the original cable actuators. Lastly, Electrogenic calibrated the updated system to work seamlessly with the regenerative braking function of the electric motor.

According to Steve Drummond, Director at Electrogenic, the 1929 Rolls-Royce EV conversion is the most complicated conversion that the company has attempted so far.

The entire project was finished within a span of 18 months and has become a significant addition to the company’s growing collection of EV conversions. This collection comprises drop-in kits for popular models like the Porsche 911, original Mini, and Jaguar E-Type. It also includes unique custom creations such as a Porsche 356C, Citroen DS, and Land Rover Defender.

Image Source: Fact File News, https://shorturl.at/bEV19