Rolls-Royce has unveiled the Spectre Series II, bringing a 16% range increase to 308 EPA-estimated miles, a switch to the NACS charging standard in the US, and a 670 hp Black Badge variant that becomes the most powerful Rolls-Royce ever built.
The update addresses two of the biggest criticisms of the $398,000 electric super coupe: limited range and reliance on CCS charging infrastructure. But it comes as Spectre sales dropped 47% in 2025, falling to just 1,002 units globally.
Otherwise, the electric vehicle has been quite a success for the brand.
More range, faster charging, and NACS
The headline engineering changes for Spectre Series II center on re-engineered battery technology. Rolls-Royce says the updated cells push estimated EPA range from approximately 265 miles to 308 miles — a 16% improvement. Charging times are also reduced by 14%, though the automaker did not provide specific kilowatt figures or charge curve details.
Critically, Spectre moves to the NACS charging standard in the United States, giving owners access to the rapidly expanding network of Tesla Superchargers and other NACS-compatible stations. This is a significant shift for a brand whose clientele expects effortless ownership experiences. CCS infrastructure in the US has been notoriously unreliable compared to Tesla’s network, and Rolls-Royce explicitly framed the switch as being about “greater convenience, flexibility, and peace of mind.”
The standard Spectre Series II now produces 593 hp and 749 lb-ft of torque, up from the original 577 hp and 664 lb-ft. The Black Badge Spectre Series II pushes further: 670 hp in “Infinity Mode” and up to 811 lb-ft of torque in “Spirited Mode,” making it the most powerful production Rolls-Royce in the company’s 122-year history.
Sales have cooled down
While the press release celebrates Spectre as “one of the most significant and celebrated Rolls-Royce motor cars of the modern era,” and it’s true that the EV has been a surprised success for the brand.
However, Spectre sales dropped 47% in 2025 to 1,002 units, down from roughly 1,900 the year before. Its share of total Rolls-Royce sales fell from a third to below a fifth, while the V12-powered Cullinan SUV surged 27% and accounted for nearly 60% of the brand’s volume.
Rolls-Royce’s press release notes that Spectre “retained its position as the marque’s second best-selling model globally” in 2025 — which is technically true but obscures the magnitude of the decline.
The automaker’s own data reveals that Spectre owners drive an average of about 4,000 miles per year and charge “almost exclusively at home.” For a car starting at $397,750 ($467,750 for the Black Badge), that’s an expensive garage ornament by any measure. One client Rolls-Royce highlights as exceptional has driven 30,000 miles over two years.
Competitive context: luxury EVs are getting better fast
The Spectre Series II’s 308-mile range is a meaningful improvement, but the competitive landscape has shifted dramatically since the original launched. The 2026 Mercedes-Benz EQS now offers up to 575 miles of WLTP range on its new 800V architecture — nearly double the Spectre’s capability on a different testing cycle, but the gap is stark regardless. The Lucid Air, priced from roughly $70,000, delivers over 500 miles of EPA range.
Granted, nobody cross-shops a Spectre with an EQS or Lucid Air. The Spectre exists in a segment of one as the only ultra-luxury electric coupe above $350,000. But the range gap matters because it feeds the perception that EVs at this price point should deliver more. When Rolls-Royce first unveiled the Spectre in 2022, 265 miles felt adequate at the time. At 308 miles in 2026, while an improvement, it’s still only adequate.
Bentley, Rolls-Royce’s most direct competitor, still hasn’t delivered a production EV, which gives the Spectre continued first-mover advantage in the ultra-luxury space.
Bespoke upgrades and Black Badge details
The bulk of the Series II announcement focuses on interior customization options — which makes sense given that Rolls-Royce says Bespoke demand on Spectre is second only to Phantom, with some clients ordering more than 20 individual bespoke elements.
New additions include a “Duality Twill” bamboo-derived rayon fabric that requires up to 2.6 million stitches and 25 hours to construct, a “Placed Perforation” leather treatment comprising 78,138 precision-cut perforations, and a new Brindled Walnut veneer made from non-fruiting walnut trees combined with recycled eucalyptus fibers.
The Black Badge variant gets new “Iced Black” exterior detailing that converts most brightwork to a matte finish, plus a new seven-spoke wheel design with glass-flake embedded finishes. A new aviation-inspired clock sits in a vitrine alongside an up-lit Spirit of Ecstasy figurine.
Electrek’s Take
Honestly, I haven’t been tracking the Spectre, but the fact that it is still selling 1,000 units a year after a 47% drop is not bad at all for a vehicle in that segment.
The 16% range improvement is welcome but not transformative. At 308 miles, the Spectre is perfectly adequate for its actual use case, short, leisurely drives charged overnight at home, but it highlights how far behind the 400V platform is falling compared to the 800V architectures now standard in premium EVs.
It might convince some owners to upgrade with this mid-cycle update, but if Rolls-Royce is serious about its 2030 all-electric commitment, the next Specter generation needs a fundamental platform upgrade.
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