The company's change of heart comes from the slow adoption of EVs in the luxury market. Buyers still prefer the roar of a combustion engine under the hood of their high-end rides.
Back in January 2020, Bentley had big plans. They wanted to sell only plug-in hybrids or battery electric vehicles by 2026 and go fully electric by 2030. But now, they're taking a more gradual approach.
Frank-Steffen Walliser, a 29-year Porsche veteran and the brains behind the 918 Spyder hybrid hypercar, is steering Bentley in this new direction. He told Car and Driver:
"What we see in the luxury market right now [is that] people reject electric cars. They consider luxury cars only with the combustion engine."
Bentley can't afford to make both electric and gas-powered versions of the same car. So, they're turning to plug-in hybrids as a middle ground. Walliser believes hybrids are more than just a stepping stone:
"Hybrids are definitely something that are not only a novel bridging technology. It is a really good solution, and it can work for a lot of customers, it can fulfill their needs."
The company is also looking into sustainable e-fuels, which Porsche is already making at a facility in Chile.
Bentley's first EV will show up around 2026 and hit the roads in 2027. It won't replace an existing model but will be a new addition to their lineup.
The company still aims to go fully electric, but they're now looking at the mid-2030s. Walliser calls this an "ambition" rather than a firm plan.
Source: Car and Driver
