Lastly, Bentley says it has discovered the profitable components to giving an all-electric car the Bentley stamp of approval. It’ll scream luxurious and certain price 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 automobiles with 12- and 8-cylinder engines that may price within the thousands and thousands for particular editions, additionally mentioned it plans to supply a brand new EV or plug-in hybrid electrical car annually till 2035 – the corporate had initially focused the tip of this decade for going all electrical, but it surely has pushed that again by 5 years.
“To be sincere, there’s not a whole lot of demand [for BEVs] from at the moment’s Bentley prospects,” CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser mentioned throughout a press convention yesterday, as reported by Reuters.
However he’s not ruling out legislative adjustments and a brand new era of customers who desire a smooth, costly EV.
“However we see there are new prospects out that undoubtedly need to have a really trendy automotive.”
“Laws, for certain, is driving electrification … but additionally competitors,” Walliser mentioned.
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 mentioned. “We hear fastidiously to our prospects… 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 prospects demand it,” mentioned Matthias Rabe, head of Bentley’s analysis and improvement. He additionally famous that Bentley might proceed to launch new ICE autos within the years to come back as nicely.
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 mentioned prior that the plans to launch a brand new EV had been delayed on account of software program points in addition to designing a car to Bentley’s exacting requirements, quite than market circumstances.
The corporate solely hinted on the form of the brand new EV with a sketch, which exhibits an analogous 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 beneath 5,000 mm (16.4 toes) in size, so comparable in dimension 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 in regards to the new mannequin, it did observe that vary and charging pace shall be prime priorities. And naturally, prospects can anticipate the Bentley signature craftsmanship which are important to the model: “We don’t need to make simply any electrical automotive; we need to make a Bentley,” mentioned Walliser.
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