A 53-year-old Rolls-Royce Phantom VI used as an official ceremonial limousine by the City of London has been converted to fully electric power.
The imposing 1973 Rolls-Royce has been transformed by British electric vehicle specialist Electrogenic as part of efforts to modernise the City of London Corporation’s historic ceremonial fleet.
Rather than replacing the Phantom with a new electric vehicle, the original petrol powertrain has been removed and replaced with a modern battery-electric system.
Electrogenic has installed a 120kW electric motor producing 310Nm of torque, driving through a single-speed direct-drive transmission.
Energy comes from a 62kWh battery pack positioned beneath the bonnet.
The company estimates the enormous limousine can now travel approximately 100 to 120 miles in real-world driving on a charge.
Rapid charging is supported at up to 100kW, allowing the vehicle to be topped up between official engagements when required.
Despite the substantial mechanical changes, Electrogenic says the conversion has been designed to protect the historic significance of the car.
No cutting, drilling or welding was carried out on the original Rolls-Royce during the installation.
That means the conversion is fully reversible and the Phantom could theoretically be returned to its original combustion-engine specification in the future.
The original column-mounted automatic gear selector has even been retained, although it now controls forward, neutral and reverse functions for the electric drivetrain.
A discreet screen displaying information about the electric system has been hidden inside the glovebox rather than installing a prominent modern display into the historic dashboard.
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One of the most unusual additions is a dedicated ceremonial driving mode.
The special setting reduces available power and torque while relaxing the throttle response, allowing the Rolls-Royce to maintain the slow and controlled speeds required during civic processions and ceremonial occasions.
A normal driving mode provides stronger performance and regenerative braking configured to allow one-pedal driving in urban conditions.
The rear passenger compartment has also received an upgraded heating system to improve comfort during winter engagements.
Electrogenic says there is sufficient space within the vehicle to potentially double its battery capacity in the future if a longer driving range is required.
The Phantom VI was one of only 374 examples produced and was designed as an exceptionally luxurious chauffeur-driven limousine.
The City of London’s example has served as an official civic vehicle for decades and remains part of its Mayoral Ceremonial Fleet.
The conversion was commissioned during the mayoralty of Alderwoman Dame Susan Langley DBE, the 697th Lord Mayor of the City of London, as part of the Corporation’s wider plans to reduce emissions from its own operations.
The City Corporation had reportedly considered several possibilities for modernising its ceremonial fleet over approximately five years, including selling the existing vehicles and purchasing replacements.
It ultimately concluded that retaining and modernising the historic Rolls-Royces represented a more sustainable long-term approach while preserving vehicles closely associated with the City’s heritage.
Electrogenic chief executive Steve Drummond said the company’s objective was to preserve the character of the Phantom while providing it with a modern zero-tailpipe-emission drivetrain suitable for ceremonial duties.
The newly electrified Rolls-Royce is being displayed at Salon Privé at Blenheim Palace between 2 and 6 September 2026.
The conversion provides an unusual example of electrification extending beyond modern production cars, allowing an historically significant luxury vehicle built more than half a century ago to continue performing official duties in the electric era.
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Sources
The EV Report – Electrogenic Electrifies City of London’s Rolls-Royce Phantom VI
Transport + Energy – Rolls-Royce Phantom Electrified by Electrogenic
