On November 7, 2024, Bentley, a British manufacturer under the Volkswagen group banner, announced a significant adjustment in its electrification strategy. Initially committed to becoming a 100% electric brand by 2030, the manufacturer has pushed back this objective by five years. This announcement, however, is accompanied by the presentation of a flagship project: the launch, in 2026, of its first fully electric luxury urban SUV.
Bentley postpones its electrification
Bentley has formalized a major postponement in its transition strategy to electric. Iinitially planned for 2030, the end of its combustion engine and hybrid models is finally postponed to 2035. Frank-Steffen Walliser, general manager of the brand, explained this choice arguing that « the adoption of electric cars is much different than what was predicted in 2019 ». The reason: demand which still does not follow supply.
At the same time, the manufacturer confirmed its wish to continue its production at the Crewe site, in England, where it employs 4,000 people.
A first electric SUV in preparation
Even if Bentley has postponed its electrification, the subsidiary of the Volkswagen group is not remaining inactive. As part of its Beyond100+ strategic plan, the automobile brand has announced its next luxury urban SUV which will be the brand's first fully electric model. Its presentation is planned for 2026, and its marketing in 2027. Very enthusiastic, Frank-Steffen Walliser believes that this “model will be a landmark in the history of the brand, as were the Continental GT and Bentayga in their time”.
The dedicated platform of this SUV could be based on the PPE architecture, shared with Porsche and Audi, specifies the car manufacturer. This technical choice shows Bentley's desire to guarantee optimal performance, as Matthias Rabe explained: « We will not use a mixed platform. We think this is a bad response for a luxury brand, which does not achieve optimal performance ».
