But he’s very clear on what will hasten the transition: taxation. Aside from his twin Ultramarine Black Astons – a DB12 Volante and Vanquish coupe, both with copper tan interiors – and the family’s EVs, Hallmark also drives a G-Class from Aston’s V8-engine supplier Mercedes-Benz. It’s not the electric version but a G63 AMG, packing a 577bhp V8 that will land him a €6,000 tax bill in Switzerland this year. “When the tax bill becomes unbearable,” he reckons, the multi-millionaire exodus will start.
Jaguar Land Rover is also on the go-slow introducing its electric Range Rovers – the flagship EV is running two years late – and its make-or-break electric Jaguar Type 01. This four-door Gran Turismo is set to cost from around £100,000, a market Porsche’s Taycan initially stormed before sales slipped away.
Rolls-Royce claims to be the one luxury player with a successful EV – the Spectre coupe. “Everyone knows what characteristics to expect with Rolls-Royce: silence, waftability, seemingly endless power and easy driving,” CEO Chris Brownridge told this year’s FT Future of the Car Summit.
“With a perfectly engineered electric powertrain in a Rolls Royce, it actually amplifies the characteristics you expect of our motor cars. The Spectre has been a great success for us: last year it was our second best-selling motor car.” Expect a volume in excess of 1,000 cars; last year Rolls-Royce delivered 5,660 limousines.
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