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The City of London's official ceremonial limousine, a 1973 Rolls-Royce Phantom VI, has been converted to battery power by British EV conversion specialist Electrogenic. The car serves as the official transport for the Lord Mayor of the City of London and is used for civic and ceremonial duties throughout the city.
The Oxford-based company replaced the Phantom's original drivetrain with a 120kW electric motor producing 310Nm of torque, fed by a 62kWh battery pack mounted under the bonnet and routed through a single-speed direct-drive transmission. Electrogenic says the setup delivers a real-world range of roughly 100 to 120 miles, more than enough for a day of ceremonial duties around the capital.
The project was commissioned by Alderwoman Dame Susan Langley DBE, the 697th Lord Mayor of the City of London, and supports the City of London Corporation's target of reaching net zero carbon emissions for its own operations by 2027. Rather than retiring a historic vehicle to hit that target, the Corporation opted to keep the Phantom in service with a modern, emissions-free powertrain hidden beneath its original coachwork.
Electrogenic CEO Steve Drummond said the team "sympathetically preserved everything that made the original car so special" while giving it a modern powertrain suited to ceremonial duty. Dame Susan Langley echoed that sentiment, framing the conversion as proof that preserving London's traditions doesn't mean standing still.
Electrogenic has built a reputation converting classics to electric power without permanently altering their original look, a niche that has grown steadily as more owners look to keep historic vehicles usable day to day, as we covered in our look at electric classic car conversions. Companies like Electric GT have taken a similar approach in the United States, offering EV crate motors aimed at classic car owners. Rolls-Royce ownership itself remains a mix of old and new, as seen in this custom Rolls-Royce Wraith that recently crossed the block with a rebuilt-title backstory.
For the City of London, the electrified Phantom VI means one of its most recognizable ceremonial vehicles can keep making appearances for decades to come, minus the tailpipe emissions.
