Photo: Bentley
Remember the EXP 12 Speed 6e from the 2017 edition of the Geneva Motor Show? Bentley has been on and off in regard to putting an EV into production, let alone a sports car that would compete against the Porsche 911. But as it happens, the ultra-luxury automaker has confirmed the arrival of an electric vehicle before the middle of next decade.
Wolfgang Durheimer, who used to head the Crewe-based brand before Adrian Hallmark took over the position of chief executive officer, confirmed that the sub-Bentayga utility vehicle “is no longer in the scheme,” with Bentley favoring “a car with a fully electric powertrain.”
Fast-forward to the successor of Durheimer, and Hallmark reiterated that Bentley is working hard towards this goal. Speaking to Automotive News Europe, the head honcho acknowledged that an electric vehicle “is currently in the decision process. Our target is definitely before 2025.”
Considering the timeframe, we’re expecting Bentley to ignore the J1 vehicle architecture of the Porsche Taycan for the Premium Platform Electric that Audi and Porsche are currently developing. Care to guess why the British automaker is changing the recipe from twin-turbocharged luxobarges such as the Bentayga W12 to eco-friendly cars?
According to the cited publication, “Bentley has amongst the highest carbon footprints of any brand at the group.” The question is, what did you expect from the automaker that continues to manufacture the L-series V8 for the Mulsanne, an engine that can trace its roots back to 1959?
Towards achieving this goal, Bentley even dropped a six-cylinder in the Bentayga Hybrid. It’s nothing like the inline-six from the Speed Six of the 1920s, but even still, the engine provides 462 PS and 700 Nm in conjunction with the electric motor, figures that justify the price and performance of the greenest Bentley ever. The 50-kilometer (31-mile) electric range is nothing to scoff at either.
Looking at the bigger picture, the Volkswagen Group has taken onto itself to cut back on the number of cylinders in the next handful of years. The A8, for example, is the last installation of the W12 engine in an Audi. Lamborghini, on the other hand, acknowledged that the 5.2-liter V10 and 6.5-liter V12 would be kept on life support with the help of hybrid technology.
Fast-forward to the successor of Durheimer, and Hallmark reiterated that Bentley is working hard towards this goal. Speaking to Automotive News Europe, the head honcho acknowledged that an electric vehicle “is currently in the decision process. Our target is definitely before 2025.”
Considering the timeframe, we’re expecting Bentley to ignore the J1 vehicle architecture of the Porsche Taycan for the Premium Platform Electric that Audi and Porsche are currently developing. Care to guess why the British automaker is changing the recipe from twin-turbocharged luxobarges such as the Bentayga W12 to eco-friendly cars?
According to the cited publication, “Bentley has amongst the highest carbon footprints of any brand at the group.” The question is, what did you expect from the automaker that continues to manufacture the L-series V8 for the Mulsanne, an engine that can trace its roots back to 1959?
Towards achieving this goal, Bentley even dropped a six-cylinder in the Bentayga Hybrid. It’s nothing like the inline-six from the Speed Six of the 1920s, but even still, the engine provides 462 PS and 700 Nm in conjunction with the electric motor, figures that justify the price and performance of the greenest Bentley ever. The 50-kilometer (31-mile) electric range is nothing to scoff at either.
Looking at the bigger picture, the Volkswagen Group has taken onto itself to cut back on the number of cylinders in the next handful of years. The A8, for example, is the last installation of the W12 engine in an Audi. Lamborghini, on the other hand, acknowledged that the 5.2-liter V10 and 6.5-liter V12 would be kept on life support with the help of hybrid technology.
Google News