Photo: Rolls-Royce
According to Torsten Müller-Otvös, the CEO of Rolls-Royce, hybrid powertrains don't mix well with luxury. We have no idea how he came up with this idea, but it seems it's the reason why the British brand will not make vehicles powered by a combination of fuels.
The CEO argues that his company's clients don't give a rat's behind about fuel economy, which apart from making them sound like pricks, it also misses the point of hybrid systems completely. Well, not completely, since that was indeed how they came to be, but things have changed lately.
For instance, does Torsten Müller-Otvös think that Ferrari buyers need to save money to fill up their LaFerraris? Or perhaps the very few owners of Porsche's superb hypercar, the 918 Spyder? Electric motors are no strangers to performance enhancements, and that's something Rolls-Royce might care about.
Talking to British publication Autocar, Müller-Otvös implied that hybrids are not good enough for the brand he commands. “The Rolls-Royce brand is not, in a way, a game-changer when it comes to revolutionary technology. Our customers are doing so for reasons of utmost luxury, so there can be no imperfections.”
“Compromises when it comes to technology, or operating our products," he continued, "are unacceptable. People are more interested in highly reliably substance than to be a test field for new technology.”
Hybrid technology has not been around for as long as the gasoline engine, but one could say it has matured over the past decade. That means it can hardly be described as "new technology," so that argument doesn't stand either.
On the other hand, Rolls-Royce is a more traditional brand, and one that doesn't like to see its cars head for the workshop too often. It doesn't help with the craftsmanship image. So there is sense in keeping it simple - if you can call a turbocharged V12 engine simple.
The CEO admits the company might have to follow the rest of the industry down the electrical path once everything had been sorted out. He also joked about the autonomous driving technology, saying Rolls-Royce clients don't really need it since they already have chauffeurs. "I haven’t had a single customer say to me: ‘Torsten, when is the autonomous Rolls-Royce coming?” Different market segments, different problems.
For instance, does Torsten Müller-Otvös think that Ferrari buyers need to save money to fill up their LaFerraris? Or perhaps the very few owners of Porsche's superb hypercar, the 918 Spyder? Electric motors are no strangers to performance enhancements, and that's something Rolls-Royce might care about.
Talking to British publication Autocar, Müller-Otvös implied that hybrids are not good enough for the brand he commands. “The Rolls-Royce brand is not, in a way, a game-changer when it comes to revolutionary technology. Our customers are doing so for reasons of utmost luxury, so there can be no imperfections.”
“Compromises when it comes to technology, or operating our products," he continued, "are unacceptable. People are more interested in highly reliably substance than to be a test field for new technology.”
Hybrid technology has not been around for as long as the gasoline engine, but one could say it has matured over the past decade. That means it can hardly be described as "new technology," so that argument doesn't stand either.
On the other hand, Rolls-Royce is a more traditional brand, and one that doesn't like to see its cars head for the workshop too often. It doesn't help with the craftsmanship image. So there is sense in keeping it simple - if you can call a turbocharged V12 engine simple.
The CEO admits the company might have to follow the rest of the industry down the electrical path once everything had been sorted out. He also joked about the autonomous driving technology, saying Rolls-Royce clients don't really need it since they already have chauffeurs. "I haven’t had a single customer say to me: ‘Torsten, when is the autonomous Rolls-Royce coming?” Different market segments, different problems.
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