Green Rolls-Royce Phantom 102EX

Even the super-rich can drive green--and we are not talking green like money. Rolls-Royce has engineered their own experimental plug-in electric vehicle for the few who could afford a production version that might just surface in time for the 2012 Olympics. Including 96 lithium-ion cells, the Rolls Royce Phantom 102EX is a test-bed of alternative drive-train technology in ultra-luxury rides. We think it is pretty cool.

Perfection or Compromise? That is the question that Rolls-Royce is asking, as they debuted the first modern ultra-luxury car not powered on petrol at the Geneva Auto Show earlier this year. Although the Rolls-Royce Phantom 102EX has had its engine replaced with almost 100 lithium-ion battery cells, it is still an ultra-luxurious ride for the elite.

Costing about $3 per mile of drive--compared to nearly $80 per mile in non-electric Phantoms, the experimental Phantom 102EX is just a glimpse of a more progressive future from the world's most luxurious luxury-car maker. With zero-emissions motoring, the green Phantom accelerates from zero to 60mph in under 8 seconds--which is pretty darn impressive for the heavy boat it is.

Owners of a production version, or their butlers for that matter; may not even have to get their hands dirty plugging the Phantom in. The 102EX comes with a platform that you simply park on that will recharge the batteries remotely--the same kind of technology found in electric toothbrushes and some mobile phones.

"It will be interesting to see how alternative drive-trains change the design," said Steve Cropley, Editor-in-Chief at Autocar Magazine London, "I think the design will progress, but I think the way the car fundamentally looks and is packaged will stay familiar" said Cropley.

Perhaps the greenest part of the Phantom 102EX is the price tag, which could retail for $3 million. For more info, and to watch the Green Phantom progress, check out http://www.electricluxury.com/ for news, videos and commentary.