Rolls-Royce went all in on electrification of its range of super high-end luxury vehicles, stating that it would be electric-only by 2030. And, in the sense that electric means near-silent, a brand like Rolls-Royce was perhaps best placed to benefit from a move away from internal combustion.

Luxury is often associated with insulation and silence in the automotive world, and removing the noise associated with an internal combustion powertrain is one of the easiest ways to add to the premium sense of luxury the bespoke British manufacturer prides itself on.

However, demand for EVs is waning globally, not just in Australia, and Rolls-Royce is now the latest manufacturer to walk back its claim to go electric-only by 2030, claims a report in The Times.

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Scaling back EV targets is an expensive exercise, but for Rolls-Royce it’s an admission that its customer base isn’t yet ready to make the leap. Newly-appointed CEO Chris Brownridge told The Times that the company had dropped its plan to go EV-only by 2030, and instead would continue to produce its legendary V12 internal combustion engine for the foreseeable future.

Brownridge told The Times that slowing demand was the main factor, but relaxed regulations would also play their part. “For every client that loves an electric vehicles, there is one who doesn’t,” he said. He did claim however, that the company’s desire to go fully electric by 2030 was the right move to make at the time.

Parent company BMW stated in early 2026 that it can continue to produce internal combustion engines, most specifically here the V12 used by Rolls-Royce, and indeed ensure that it meets Euro 7 emissions guidelines.

Rolls-Royce has stated that it has no plans for now to kill off the Spectre EV completely, and while initial demand was as the company had forecast, sales dropped in 2025, falling 47 per cent to 1002 vehicles globally.