Rolls-Royce is one of those brands that you immediately associate with Old Money, British royalty, monarchs, and more conservative values. By contrast, purely electric vehicle brands like Tesla have been traditionally associated with more progressive values, but in these conflicting times, things are changing fast. While Tesla is attracting more Republican consumers these days, Rolls-Royce is unveiling its first electric car and embracing more progressive values. The British luxury automaker’s announcement that it will switch to an entirely electrified product lineup by 2030 is even more stunning. Although the revelation shocked everyone, Rolls-Royce showed the firm has always had an eye toward its electric future.

Charles Rolls, the co-founder of Rolls-Royce, predicted an electric future for the automobile, already in 1900. He had purchased The Columbia Electric Carriage, an electric vehicle, and saw its unique potential “as a clean, noiseless alternative to the internal combustion engine,” providing the necessary infrastructure was in place, according to a Rolls-Royce press release. After more than 120 years, the British luxury automaker is releasing the Spectre and fulfilling the mission of the company’s founder.

“This is the start of a bold new chapter for our marque, our extraordinary clients and the luxury industry. For this reason, I believe Spectre is the most perfect product that Rolls-Royce has ever produced,” said Torsten Müller-Ötvös, Chief…