Bentley, a luxury carmaker owned by Volkswagen, has announced its plans to launch its first electric vehicle (EV), a luxury urban SUV, in 2026. The brand has shifted its goal of becoming fully electric by 2030 to now aiming to produce only fully electric vehicles by 2035.
The upcoming electric Bentley SUV will be designed, developed, and produced at the company’s headquarters in Crewe. This launch is just the beginning, as Bentley plans to introduce a new plug-in hybrid or fully electric model every year over the next decade.
This strategic shift aligns with Bentley’s commitment to a decarbonized future and reinforces its reputation as a British creator of extraordinary cars for over a century and beyond. Despite a record year in 2022, Bentley experienced an 11% drop in vehicle sales in 2023 due to rising costs and slowing economies globally.
In response to market demands, Bentley now offers its Continental GT coupe, Convertible, and Flying Spur models exclusively with an Ultra Performance plug-in V8 hybrid powertrain, discontinuing the iconic W12 engine after over twenty years of production in Crewe.
Bentley Motors chairman and CEO, Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, stated, “Four years after outlining our Beyond100 strategy, we are adapting to today’s economic, market, and legislative environment to initiate a major transformative phase for tomorrow. Beyond100+ is our guiding light as we extend our ambitions beyond 2030, aiming for a decarbonized future and offering only fully electric cars from 2035.”
In July 2024, Bentley Motors celebrated the structural completion of its new design center in Crewe, UK, with a topping-out ceremony. The facility is set to be finished next year, showcasing Bentley’s commitment to innovation and sustainability in the luxury automotive industry.
