Bentley goes British Racing green with all-electric line-up by 2030
Bentley is to ditch internal combustion completely in the next decade and become an environmentally-friendly EV-only manufacturer.
The first stage in this dramatic transformation will be the launch of two plug-in hybrid cars to join the recent Bentayga hybrid next year. A Flying Spur hybrid is set to be the first arrival, sharing the powertrain of sister company Porsche’s Panamera 4 E-Hybrid. By 2026, every Bentley will be a PHEV, and four years later the fleet will be entirely battery-powered.
Bentley says the move will make the company a world leader in sustainable luxury mobility and that it is reinventing every element of the business to become carbon neutral. Dubbed “Beyond 100,” the plan sets out the company’s future after it celebrated its centenary in 2019. Bentley aims to reduce the environmental impact of its factory by 75 percent compared to 2010, including significantly reducing plastic use. The Crewe plant has already been certified as carbon neutral by the Carbon Trust thanks to adopting water recycling, solar power, tree planting, and even bee-keeping.
Leading the charge on the road (pardon the pun), Bentley’s first pure EV will launch in 2025, and it will be completely carbon neutral from “cradle to grave” the company claims. Bentley previewed its electric future with the EXP 100 GT concept car, but the 2025 car is expected to be more of a Jaguar i-Pace rival than a sedan or coupe.
Bentley Boss Adrian Hallmark says, “Since 1919, Bentley has defined luxury grand touring. Being at the forefront of progress is part of our DNA—the original Bentley Boys were pioneers and leaders. Now, as we look Beyond 100, we will continue to lead by reinventing the company and becoming the world’s benchmark luxury car business.”
Not long ago Bentley was the world’s largest maker of V-12 engines, and within a decade it will have completely transitioned away from fossil fuel. Could those Bentley Boys ever have imagined such a thing?
