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New Bentley CEO Admits They Were Not Ready For the Electrification Trend

By William Maley

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  • But they are planning to rectify that very quickly

Back in March, Bentley unveiled their first electrified model. The Bentayga Hybrid is a plug-in hybrid that pairs a turbocharged 3.0L V6 with an electric motor to improve efficiency and allow the model to travel up to 31 miles on EV power alone. But Bentley's new CEO Adrian Hallmark admits they need to do more.

“The [Bentayga] hybrid is a great first step but we need to do more than one hybrid. Hence the first thing we’ve changed [since I started] is the electrification of the cycle plan as fast as we can," said Hallmark to Autocar.

He admits that the luxury automaker wasn't prepared for the electrification trend and is working fast to fix this.

“That’s been quite a big change and we’ve shuffled a number of things around to be able to do it. It means that in every name plate will be an electrified option - hybrid or full electric – by 2025. We’ll flesh out specific plans in the next three to six months. Certainly by the end of this year, we’ll be in a much clearer position about what we’ll do.”

Bentley is also planning to launch an electric vehicle within the next five years. Hallmark wouldn't go into detail about what the model would be, but did say we could do anything.”

Source: Autocar

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    Mentor

    smk4565

    Members

    If there was ever a poster child for what should be electric it is the Mulsanne.  This thing is made for all electric powertrain with 800 lb-ft of low end torque that can move around with no noise.

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    • Newbie

    ocnblu

    Members

    No sane person will ever be "ready" for such rubbish as this.

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    • balthazar

    In Hibernation

    Bentley sold about 2400 vehicles in 2017. EVs/ plug-ins are about 1% of the market.
    1% of 2400 is 24 units, or 2/mnth. No one is crying over a lack of Bentley EVs.

    That aside, a car in this price tier should be offering 500 miles on E power, or literally don't bother.

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    Mentor

    smk4565

    Members

    Maybe it will have a 500 mile EV range with 1,000 lb-ft of torque.  Cost and weight aren't really issues.  But neither is range on a Mulsanne as most of these people have a private jet, they aren't driving far.

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    • balthazar

    In Hibernation

    Can't take a jet everywhere or at a moment's notice. And no- all bentley owners don't also own a jet. Where do you come up with these fantasy non-realities?

    Point is/was " if you're spending $250K on a EV, shouldn't it at least get the same MPGe as a nissan?

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