Evice Rolls-Royce is the latest EV take on British classic

British EV start-up Evice has revealed plans to electrify two classic Rolls-Royce models from the 1960s and 70s.

The Guilford-based firm is set to launch in-house conversions of the Rolls-Royce Corniche and Silver Shadow models, more than doubling the power and bringing 21st-century technology to cars from the mid-to-late 20th century.

It has begun testing of its XP1 prototype, with production of the first Evice Rolls-Royce models planned to start in 2025 and first customer deliveries in early 2026.

The firm says its interpretation of the electrified Rolls-Royce is about the ‘pursuit of perfection’ by taking the ‘elegance, spirit and grace’ of past Rolls-Royce models and sympathetically remastering them with ‘world leading’ technologies.

Many of the technologies have been developed in-house, including a bespoke 800V electrical architecture. The XP1 one is powered by two electric motors producing a total of 400bhp for what Evice calls ‘dynamic and effortless’ driving that eclipses the performance of the original V8 engine. A 77kWh battery delivers a range of more than 200 miles in the current XP1 prototype.

Alongside the new powertrain, the Evice Rolls-Royce gets active suspension and an upgraded braking system for improved composure and stopping power. Inside, upgrades include heated and ventilated electrically-adjustable seats, climate control and an upgraded audio system and infotainment screen with wireless Apple CarPlay.

The company says that thousands of hours have gone into the car’s development, with experts in everything from powertrains to cabin refinement and design working on sympathetically updating the mid-century models.

Matthew Pearson, CEO at Evice, commented: “Evice’s mission is to honour the legacy of these classic Rolls-Royce cars with modern engineering and meticulous craftsmanship.

“Our work with the Corniche and Silver Shadow is about reimagining their timeless elegance while modernising them for greater refinement, performance, and reliability. It’s a ground-up remastering for the modern age that encompasses every detail, from the powertrain and chassis through to interior design, safety, and technology.

“We like to say that Rolls-Royce cars remastered by Evice are what the factory would have created 60 years ago, had the technology existed.”