We’ve spotted the latest SUV from Rolls-Royce going through testing in the snow. Now the CarBuzz spy photographers have snapped it in the grime. It turns out the Spirit of Ecstasy doesn’t mind getting a little mud on her boots as Rolls-Royce development drivers get the new SUV ready for market. And they don’t appear to be holding back when it comes to all-weather, all-terrain testing.
This Could Be A Second SUV Line
Rolls-Royce Electric SUV prototypeCarBuzz/Valnet
Last time around, we believed that this camouflaged model was the successor to the Rolls-Royce Cullinan SUV, but now we have conflicting information. Instead, it may be something new to the lineup. A second crossover for the brand, this time fully-electric and made to compete with the upcoming Bentley urban SUV, the Porsche Cayenne EV, and with Range Rover.
Per our spies, the new Rolls-Royce SUV could be based on BMW’s latest electric vehicle architecture. The sixth-gen motor and battery systems that are used in Neue Klasse models like the BMW iX3 deliver more horsepower and torque. They also deliver faster charging and longer range, with the latter especially important for a large and heavy luxury model like Rolls builds.
Rolls-Royce Electric SUV prototypeCarBuzz/Valnet
Looking at the SUV prototype, we can see a design that is very much inline with the Cullinan as well as the Rolls-Royce Phantom. The high roof, the rake of the A-pillars, and the squared-off front, as well as the taillights, are all very Cullinan.
The details of the nose, though, are very different. Most notably, the strange lighting signature above the front lamps, where there are just a few LED stripes. On something this expensive, we would expect it to be filled in. Meanwhile, the version on the prototypes looks like something cheap and aftermarket.
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This is a Rolls-Royce, though. So it’s likely that the lamps are prototype parts and that the real thing will be far more ornate. They could have crystal, or diamond, or some other precious stone finish we haven’t even heard of before.
Expect More Tech, More Touch
Rolls-Royce Electric SUV prototypeCarBuzz/Valnet
Our spies tell us that this new model will have more touch control functions than ever before, but not just on the inside. Even components like the hood and tailgate will use touch to open, we’re told. BMW has previously confirmed that with its new Panoramic iDrive software, nearly everything with a button can be controlled by touch or even voice. This could be the first place for that to happen, driven by the brand’s younger and tech-savvy (or tech-invested) new buyers.
The first electric Rolls-Royce, the Spectre, has been a smash hit. In 2024, the large coupe outsold the Cullinan SUV and became the second-highest selling Rolls model that year. It was the most popular in Europe. In 2025, the British luxury brand announced that it was investing more than $300 million into its Goodwood plant, adding room to build more electric models as well as more bespoke vehicles.
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This SUV would likely be the second Rolls electric to hit the market, and it will be interesting to see if the smaller (and likely cheaper) family vehicle will also be able to unseat the Cullinan on the sales charts. Expect a reveal at the end of this year, or early in 2027. Another EV, a sedan to replace the Phantom, is likely to arrive a year after that.
