Rolls-Royce Project Nightingale Begins Global Testing Program

The all-electric Rolls-Royce Project Nightingale has entered an extensive validation program ahead of customer deliveries beginning in 2028.

• Rolls-Royce will build only 100 examples of the Project Nightingale.
• Development includes 350 collective weeks of testing across Europe, the Arctic Circle and the Arabian Peninsula.
• Prototypes will be tested at speeds of up to 249 km/h and altitudes reaching 2,750 metres.

Rolls-Royce has begun global testing of Project Nightingale, an all-electric, open-top Coachbuild Collection limited to 100 vehicles worldwide.

First revealed in April 2026, Project Nightingale is a two-seat convertible measuring 5.76 metres long, almost matching the length of a Rolls-Royce Phantom. It combines the company’s electric powertrain with a highly exclusive coachbuilt body inspired by Streamline Moderne design and Rolls-Royce’s experimental “EX” vehicles of the 1920s.

From the Mediterranean to the Arctic Circle

The development program begins in Southern Europe before expanding to the Arctic Circle and the deserts of the Arabian Peninsula. Rolls-Royce plans to evaluate prototypes in different climates, at elevations reaching 2,750 metres and on the types of roads its clients are expected to encounter.

2026 Rolls-Royce Project Nightingale Concept: First of Ultra-Exclusive Coachbuild Collection Limited to 100 Units

Engineers will collectively spend 350 weeks validating the vehicle. That figure represents total development time across the program rather than a nearly seven-year testing schedule.

Project Nightingale has already completed more than 1,430 hours of aerodynamic simulations and wind-tunnel work. Prototypes will eventually reach 155 mph, or approximately 249 km/h, at a private high-speed facility. Engineers will focus heavily on reducing wind noise and interior turbulence, particularly when the roof is lowered.

Testing Every Detail

Rolls-Royce developed an electrically operated wind deflector to limit air entering the cabin from behind. The convertible roof uses sound-deadening material made from cashmere, fabric and composite materials. It will undergo 10 separate evaluations, including testing at temperatures reaching 80°C.

Even the unusual Piano Boot will face durability testing. The rear compartment opens sideways on a cantilever and must complete as many as 15,000 opening and closing cycles.

The extreme attention given to these components reflects how Rolls-Royce expects Project Nightingale to be used. Its clients reportedly made it clear that the vehicles would be driven internationally rather than stored primarily as collectibles.

Deliveries Begin in 2028

Project Nightingale rides on Rolls-Royce’s aluminum Architecture of Luxury and features the largest wheels ever installed on one of the brand’s vehicles, measuring 24 inches. Each example will be assembled by hand at Goodwood and personalized for its owner.

Access is by invitation only, with customer deliveries scheduled to begin in 2028. Rolls-Royce has yet to disclose the electric powertrain’s output, battery capacity, estimated range or price. Those details are expected to emerge as the global testing program progresses.