Key Takeaways
- Bentley’s first electric vehicle delayed to 2027 due to technical issues and software delays.
- Bentley delays going all-electric from 2030 to 2033.
- Increasing demand for hybrids has influenced the decision.
Bentley will not be introducing its first electric vehicle in 2026 as originally planned, and its entire electrification program is being pushed back. Speaking with Automotive News, brand CEO Adrian Hallmark said that Crewe’s first EV has been delayed by technical software issues and other “platform-related” issues. Bentley wants at least 373 miles of range and Level 2++ semi-autonomous driving tech, among other packaging and performance requirements.
Volkswagen’s troubled Cariad software division has borne the brunt of the blame for delaying Group EVs, and even as the division reshapes itself with a new boss, it will take some time to get back on track.
Instead of launching its first production EV in 2025, Bentley now plans to reveal the creation in late 2026 with customer deliveries slated to begin in 2027.
Combustion To Live On For At Least Three Years Longer
As part of its Beyond100 plan, Bentley had planned to electrify its entire lineup with plug-in hybrids and all-electric cars, ultimately giving up on combustion engines altogether by 2030. That is not happening any longer.
“Because of the delay of the first BEV and because of all the changes around us, we are investing more in hybrids,” said Hallmark. The Flying Spur and the Continental GT will gain plugs in the summer, and they should like hot cakes. “We expected a drop-off of hybrids in 2028, 2029, and 2030, but now we expect that could actually grow and continue,” said the CEO, adding that this “insures [Bentley] against slower adoption of BEVs.”
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Autocar reports that Hallmark said the target date is now 2033, adding that this new program is “locked and loaded” and will not be “rowed back from.” We’re not so certain – Bentley has stuttered its way into electrification for a long time.
Going All-Electric Is No Longer A Priority
Cast your mind back 2017, and Bentley was planning to introduce an electric sports car. By the following year, the automaker reportedly began exploring the feasibility of the Porsche Mission E platform for the project. Another year later, in 2019, reports emerged that Bentley was unsure of what sort of EV to make. You’d think a Rolls-Royce Spectre alternative would be the obvious choice, but perhaps an SUV would be more popular.
Bentley cannot introduce something that will not sell, and given the demand that hybrids and other vehicles with combustion engines are enjoying, Hallmark and his team would be amiss to overlook that earning opportunity. Similarly, Aston Martin is scaling back on EVs, also citing weak demand. Even more mainstream automakers like Mercedes and GM have scaled back on EVs to focus on hybrids. Time will tell how smart these choices are.
