The Bentley Motors lineup will include only plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles by 2026, and will become all-electric by 2030. This was officially announced by the company. The changes are due to tighter emission limits in Europe and China.
According to representatives of the British brand, as part of the new Beyond 100 strategy (“Beyond 100”, meaning the fact that the company turned 100 in 2019), it is planned to introduce two plug-in hybrids in 2021 and accelerate the development of electric vehicles.
From a traditional luxury car company, Bentley wants to transform itself into an environmentally responsible brand, a role model in the luxury industry, CEO Adrian Hallmark said in a statement.
In early June, Bentley announced the end of production of its classic 6.75-litre V8 petrol that had been in production since 1959.
A little later, the company announced that it would cut up to 1,000 jobs (25% of its staff) in connection with the planned transition to a line of electric models.
So far, Bentley can hardly be called an innovative or "green" company. The manufacturer only in 2019 introduced its first hybrid, the Bentayga Hybrid crossover. The car received a 3.0-liter turbocharged V6, which is assisted by a 128-horsepower electric motor. On electricity, the car can travel up to 39 km.
Most likely, the next hybrid will be the Flying Spur PHEV, which uses a powertrain from the Porsche Panamera 4 E-Hybrid.
By the way, the Bentley EXP 100 GT concept car, which shows what Bentley cars should look like in 2035, uses four electric motors (one per wheel) with a capacity of 201-335 hp. everyone. The total output of the installation varies from 800 to 1340 hp. The estimated range of the concept is 700 km.
Bentley to go all-electric by 2030
