Bentley announced today that its electrification strategy will be accelerated. The Five-in-Five strategy, which commits Bentley to producing a new electric vehicle every year from 2025 onwards, will be a key component of its plans, thus also confirming that its first ever EV will arrive in just three years.
The first electric Bentley will be designed, developed and built at the company’s headquarters in Crewe, England and will be the end result of an investment worth £2.5 billion ($3.35 billion). The investment will also enable a comprehensive re-engineering of the Crewe manufacturing infrastructure, preparing the company and its employees for the electrified era. Crewe will be transformed into a ‘Dream Factory,’ according to Bentley, a digital, low-carbon, flexible, and high-value manufacturing facility.
This transformation will include an increase in the number of solar panels on the site, from 30,000 to 40,000 over the next two years. Bentley is also looking into using sustainable biofuel in fleet vehicles. Bentley’s partners are also encouraged to assist the company’s objective of becoming carbon-neutral from start to finish by 2030, with suppliers expected to fulfill minimal sustainability criteria.
“Simultaneously accelerating our Beyond100 strategy and securing BEV production at Crewe, alongside a £2.5 billion investment, makes this a major landmark in Bentley’s 102-year history. It is a shining light for the Bentley family, our suppliers and partners, as well as the automotive industry and UK manufacturing as a whole,” said Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors.
“This latest announcement regarding Bentley’s Beyond100 plan confirms the initiation of a major transformative phase in the company’s long and illustrious history. The world is changing and we need to play our part in neutralizing our environmental impact. That means delivering on our aim to be end-to-end carbon neutral by 2030, and reaffirming our role as the leader in sustainable luxury mobility,” he added.
As for the model range, the British company announced that and the Flying Spur PHEV, as well as five new variants will be added to the current Bentayga PHEV, in 2022. This move aims to cover all the bases as customers are reportedly showing more interest than ever into hybrid models. The company’s estimates show that hybrid vehicles are expected to account for more than 20% of sales this year.
