Bentley Announces Delay Of Electrification Plans Completely, Focuses On Hybrid Sales

Bentley Continental GT Speed. (Doc. Bentley Motors)

JAKARTA - Bentley became the umpteenth manufacturer to decide to postpone plans for complete electrification. The reason is also the same, namely the uncertainty of market conditions by slowing global sales of electric vehicles (EVs).

Launching from Carscoops, Monday, September 30, this luxury brand plans to adopt hybrid technology in the short term because it assesses that high-end customers still want combustion engine vehicles.

CEO and Chairman of Bentley Motors Frank-Steffen Walliser, said the current adoption of electric vehicle technology is slower than many estimates in the automotive industry.

"What we see in today's luxury vehicle market is consumers rejecting electric cars and assuming premium cars are combustion engines (ICE)," Walliser said.

Meskipun demikian, mantan pentinggi Porsche ini menyebut pihaknya akan mempertahankan mesin ICE namun tetap ditambahkan teknologi ramah lingkungan dengan menghadirkan lebih banyak mobil plug-in hybrid (PHEV) di masa mendatang.

He sees PHEV as a temporary solution that can bridge the gap between ICE and EV completely and voice combustion vehicles to use synthetic fuel or e-fuels.

"The target is to reduce the footprint of CO2 and I am fully sure that e-fuels can close the gap, because this can reduce carbon emissions," added Walliser.

Meskipun demikian, Bentley belum menyerahkan terhadap elektrifikasi murni. Menurut Walliser, merek berencana untuk meluncurkan EV perdananya sekitar tahun 2026 yang kemudian dilanjutkan dengan menjualnya setahun setelahnya.

The manufacturer also said it had ambitions to become an EV brand entirely in the mid-2030s. However, details have not been disclosed.

Previously, the brand under the auspices of the Volkswagen Group affirmed its commitment to only selling PHEV and EV cars by 2026 fully committed to pure electrification at the end of the decade.