British luxury car manufacturer Bentley has announced a revision of its electrification plans. The first electric car will not appear until 2026, not 2025 as previously planned. And Bentley's goal of becoming a 100 per cent electric brand by 2030 has been pushed back to 2033.
This rescheduling will allow the company to invest more in plug-in hybrids (PHEVs) in the coming years to ensure a smoother transition to an all-electric future.
Despite the delays, Bentley remains committed to developing electric models. The first electric car is being built on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform developed with Porsche and Audi. It is expected to have a range of 560-720 kilometres and the ability to quickly charge the battery to 80 per cent in less than 20 minutes. The electric novelty will be produced in the UK.
Bentley EXP 100 GT Concept
Bentley is also preparing a new high-performance V8 PHEV hybrid drivetrain that will appear in the GT, GTC and Flying Spur models in late 2024. The Bentayga will retain petrol engines until 2026, after which it will become all-electric.
Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark has admitted that the company had expected demand for hybrids to decline towards the end of the decade, but now predicts it will increase. Bentley is therefore investing "hundreds of millions" in a new wave of PHEVs that will appear in the early 2030s.
Sources: Automotive News, Autocar
