Lastly, Bentley says it has discovered the successful system to giving an all-electric car the Bentley stamp of approval. It’ll scream luxurious and sure value a bloody fortune.
The British ultra-luxury model, owned by Volkswagen AG, is as soon as once more pushing again its goal to solely supply BEVs by 5 years to 2035, however says it’s launching a “luxurious city SUV” – its first all-electric car – in 2026.
Again in 2018, Bentley began making the transition with its Bentayga Hybrid, and now the model affords plug-in hybrid variations of the Continental GT and Flying spur.
Bentley, a model synonymous with lavish and highly effective vehicles with 12- and 8-cylinder engines that may value within the hundreds of thousands for particular editions, additionally stated it plans to supply a brand new EV or plug-in hybrid electrical car every year till 2035 – the corporate had initially focused the top of this decade for going all electrical, but it surely has pushed that again by 5 years.
“To be sincere, there’s not loads of demand [for BEVs] from as we speak’s Bentley clients,” CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser stated throughout a press convention yesterday, as reported by Reuters.
However he isn’t ruling out legislative adjustments and a brand new era of shoppers who need a glossy, costly EV.
“However we see there are new clients out that positively need to have a really fashionable automobile.”
“Laws, for positive, is driving electrification … but additionally competitors,” Walliser stated.
He did add the caveat that the 2035 goal may shift much more, as some international areas are electrifying extra slowly. “Some elements of the world could also be even slower than 2035,” he stated. “We pay attention fastidiously to our clients… and what they need to purchase.”
The corporate ended manufacturing of its famed W12 engine this yr, and now it focuses on PHEVs with 8- or 6-cylinder engines. And it says it’ll maintain making PHEVs “so long as markets and clients demand it,” stated Matthias Rabe, head of Bentley’s analysis and growth. He additionally famous that Bentley might proceed to launch new ICE automobiles within the years to return as effectively.
Bentley to launch its first all-electric car in 2026
Bentley’s first BEV was initially anticipated to be produced beginning subsequent yr. Former CEO Adrian Hallmark had stated prior that the plans to launch a brand new EV had been delayed attributable to software program points in addition to designing a car to Bentley’s exacting requirements, relatively than market circumstances.
The corporate solely hinted on the form of the brand new EV with a sketch, which exhibits the same profile to the Bentayga SUV – for reference, the 2025 mannequin of the Bentayga begins at round $208,000. Nevertheless it’ll be extra compact, Walliser famous, at below 5,000 mm (16.4 ft) in size, so comparable in measurement to the Porsche Cayenne or Audi Q7, and it’ll be constructed on the identical platform because the upcoming Porsche Cayenne EV.
Whereas Bentley didn’t share any statistics concerning the new mannequin, it did be aware that vary and charging velocity shall be high priorities. And naturally, clients can count on the Bentley signature craftsmanship which might be important to the model: “We don’t need to make simply any electrical automobile; we need to make a Bentley,” stated Walliser.
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