Bentley has postponed the launch of its first 100% electric model, as well as the goal of becoming a fully electric brand by 2030, reinforcing its commitment to plug-in hybrid versions of its models.
“Automotive News Europe” reports that the luxury brand of the VW Group remains committed to the electrification strategy, but its first fully electric model will only appear in 2026, not in 2025 as initially planned, with the first deliveries taking place in 2027. The delay is justified by technical software issues and other concerns related to the platform.
It is worth remembering that the British brand had planned to launch its first 100% electric model next year, followed by four other fully electric models by 2029, before becoming an electric brand in 2030.
The Beyond 100 strategy is thus postponed and Bentley will focus on plug-in hybrid models until the next decade. “If we invest significantly in a hybrid in 2026-27, we will need to produce it until 2031 or 2032 in order to amortize the investment made,” emphasized Adrian Hallmark to journalists during a press conference on the brand’s 2023 financial results.
The decision by Bentley to delay the market arrival of its first 100% electric model comes after Aston Martin, another British luxury brand, announced in February that it has postponed the launch of its first fully electric model to 2026.