Bentley: Starting in 2025, a new electric model every year

The mood was good in Crewe. The Bentley leadership sat in a relaxed circle at the plant, where work had paused, and announced record figures for the last year. Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors, explained that 20 percent of all Bentaygas are now plug-ins, with a rising trend, and analyses of driving profiles have shown that Bentley's plug-in customers also cover 50 to 60 percent of their journeys electrically. After all. Therefore, the company is now pushing ahead with electrification with force and also wants to step up in terms of sustainability.

The model range: Ever more electric in the future

On the product side, the Flying Spur plug-in hybrid immediately complements the program, and five additional model versions are to be added to the current Bentayga plug-in hybrid. It is expected that over 20 percent of sales this year will fall on Bentley's hybrid vehicles.
Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and Chief Executive of Bentley Motors, said:

“The advancement of our Beyond100 strategy and the simultaneous securing of production of battery electric vehicles in Crewe, as well as the investment of 2.5 billion pounds, make this an important milestone in Bentley's 102-year history. It is a positive signal for the Bentley family, our suppliers and partners, and for the British automotive and manufacturing industry as a whole.”
 

Crewe remains Bentley's home and will be further modernized

To implement this strategy, 2.5 billion pounds will be invested in sustainability. Furthermore, it was confirmed that the first Bentley electric vehicle will be designed, developed, and produced at the headquarters in Crewe, England, starting in 2025. This is all the more important as the UK location continues to be under pressure and the former Rolls-Royce plant in Crewe, built in 1938, is no longer the newest from the ground up, even though modern times have now arrived in the venerable brick halls. Therefore, this announcement is also an important impetus for the workforce in Crewe, the region, and the UK location. But precisely because of the age of the production facilities, a lot will need to be restructured here: Bentley promises a "fundamental renewal of the production infrastructure" to secure Bentley's future there for the next generation of products and employees. According to the company, enormous progress has already been made in the transformation, creating an industry-leading plant with certified CO2 neutrality. The new investments and the advancement of the Beyond100 strategy now form the basis for reducing Bentley's CO2 footprint in all products and non-manufacturing activities in line with the goal of achieving climate neutrality by 2030.

Solar cells to generate even more electricity and biofuel for company vehicles and old-timers

Recent initiatives include expanding on-site energy production in Crewe. The number of solar cells is to be increased from 30,000 to 40,000 over the next two years. Additionally, Bentley is exploring the use of sustainable biofuel in fleet vehicles, including those in its legendary Heritage Collection. Bentley's partners are also encouraged to support the company's goal of complete climate neutrality by 2030. Suppliers are expected to comply with minimum sustainability standards. Corresponding efforts are also expected from Bentley's global contract partners, all of whom are to become climate neutral by 2025, if possible, even sooner.
 

After Bentley reported achieving climate-neutral production as early as 2019, the company aims to reduce water consumption, landfill waste, and other environmental impacts to an absolute minimum for each vehicle built in Crewe by 2030.

What does this mean?

Bentley will also gradually electrify its product range and transition to fully electric models. It will start with the plug-in hybrids of the current series before new fully electric models are introduced annually from 2025 onwards, which are expected to replace the current series. Unlike many other British automotive sites, Crewe will be retained and further transformed towards the future once again – which is probably the boldest argument of the Beyond-100 strategy, as converting an old plant is always more complex than planning a completely new one on a greenfield site in a country with lower wages!