W12 King Bentley to Become EV-only Car Brand by 2030
While Ferrari admits it doesn’t intend to get rid of combustion engines, Bentley made the opposite statement this week with plans to become an EV-only car brand by 2030.
More specifically, the British luxury automaker’s “Beyond100” strategy calls for switching its model range to offer exclusively plug-in hybrid or battery electric vehicles by 2026, and full electric vehicles only by 2030. At that point, Bentley aims to be a global leader in sustainable luxury mobility and reinvent every aspect of its business to become an end-to-end carbon neutral organisation.
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It’s pretty incredible for a century-old car company that is currently the world’s largest producer of 12-cylinder gasoline engines. Do you think Walter Owen Bentley is turning over in his grave?
“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 Beyond100, we will continue to lead by reinventing the company and becoming the world’s benchmark luxury car business,” said Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bentley Motors.
Bentley previously announced that every model line will be offered with the option of a hybrid variant by 2023. The only one that does so at the moment is the Bentayga SUV, which offers a 443-horsepower plug-in hybrid system with about 50 kilometres of EV range in addition to a 542-horsepower, twin-turbo V8 and 626-horsepower W12 engine.
The first fully electric Bentley, meanwhile, is due to arrive in 2025. It was previewed last year by the EXP 100 GT concept, which not only uses four electric motors delivering just over 1,100 pound-feet of torque, but also innovates with multiple sustainable materials such as 5,000-year-old copper-infused Riverwood, traditionally produced wool carpets and a leather-like textile upholstery made from a bi-product of wine-making.
