Rolls-Royce Motor Cars has stepped back from its plan to transition to an all-electric lineup by 2030, citing continued demand for combustion-engine models and changing market dynamics, its chief executive said.
Chief Executive Officer Chris Brownridge indicated that the British luxury carmaker is adapting its strategy to align with customer preferences and regulatory developments, following a significant decline in sales of its first fully electric model, the Spectre.
“For every client that loves an electric vehicle there is one who does not,” Brownridge said. “Some clients do want an electric vehicle, we build what is ordered.”
The shift places Rolls-Royce among several automakers reassessing earlier electric vehicle ambitions. Rival Bentley delayed its plan to go fully electric from 2030 to 2035 before later abandoning a fixed phase-out date, while Porsche has also reintroduced internal combustion engine models after revising its electrification targets.
The original 2030 goal had been set in 2021 by former CEO Torsten Müller-Ötvös, who projected that electric vehicles would account for 70% of annual sales by 2028. That vision was reaffirmed in 2022 during the unveiling of the Spectre, the company’s first battery-electric model.
However, Brownridge, who assumed the role in December 2023, has opted not to commit to a revised timeline. He pointed to a loosening of regulatory pressures in some markets and sustained customer interest in traditional engines as key factors behind the decision.
“We recognise some clients would rather have a V12 engine. The V12 is part of our history,” Brownridge told The Times.
Data from BMW, Rolls-Royce’s parent company, showed that deliveries of the Spectre fell sharply last year. The company delivered 1,002 units in 2025, down 47% from 1,890 vehicles in 2024, the model’s first full year on sale.
The decline suggests that early demand may have been driven by initial market enthusiasm, which later softened. As a result, electric vehicles accounted for 17.7% of Rolls-Royce’s total deliveries in 2025, compared with 33% the previous year.