Luxury vehicle maker Bentley has officially announced that all of its vehicles will be BEV models from 2030 on, and this electrification process will begin from 2026, where Bentley will only be selling HEV models, which means that the company’s ICE vehicles will be discontinued.
Bentley revealed its Beyond100 strategy as it announced its decision to undergo a comprehensive electrification transformation. It will only be offering HEV models starting from 2026, followed by BEV models by 2030.
What captivates automotive fans with Bentley, aside from the meticulous craftsmanship, is the mesmerizing 12-cylinder engine. This beast that is hidden beneath the classy appearance offers the most powerful performance for Bentley amongst luxury vehicles, where the 0-100 acceleration only takes 3.7 seconds for the latest version of Flying Spur, and the maximum speed is able to reach to 333km/h. Although most of Bentley owners have their own drivers, the monster performance will always come in handy if they decide to chase the speed.
However, the 8 and 12-cylinder engines will eventually become part of the history, where the vigorous sound wave and the explosive engine feedback can only be left to reminiscence, as Bentley will suspend all sales of ICE vehicles starting from 2026 by only offering BEV models.
▲Bentley spares no efforts in building top notch luxury vehicles. Seen from the above photo is the interior of the concept model EXP 100 GT from the manufacturer.
This will not be an easy path for Bentley, since the company does not have a single HEV model in its existing product line. CEO Adrian Hallmark commented, “We will develop a HEV version for all existing models by 2030”.
It is seemingly a compelled decision, as it means that Bentley will have to invest resources within the next 2-3 years in the R&D for HEV technology, which must also be paired with the performance of the initial V8 or V12 engines in order to fulfill the requirements of high-end clients. However, the sales duration for these petro-electric engines can range from 7 to 9 years, and they will be discontinued in 2030, which sounds like a bad investment.
Pertaining to BEVs, Bentley will borrow the resources from the Volkswagen Group, and introduce the first BEV model by 2025. As the first vehicle of zero emission for the centennial automotive manufacturer, it is likely to be designed in accordance with the latest concept car EXP 100 GT, which provides the contour for a beautiful beast that comes with extravagance and performance.
▲Bentley’s BEV concept car EXP 100 GT.
Apart from vehicle electrification, Bentley has also revealed that its UK plant became the first luxury vehicle production plant that achieves “carbon neutrality” in 2019 through substantial degree of water resource management, solar power generation, and tree cultivation. Bentley strives to transform the UK plant into a sustainable facility that creates positive impact to the environment by 2030.
In addition to environmental sustainability, the centennial history of Bentley is also a reason behind the company’s sustainable business model, which allowed continuous profitability under the various turmoil in 2020, instead of sustaining profound losses.
Bentley has survived from wars, financial crisis, and global pandemic, though whether or not it will attract the consumers at the top of the pyramid amidst the transition from petroleum to electrification is for sure one of the most fascinating topics in the next 10 years. Who will become the next super brand?
(Cover photo source: Bentley)
