Bentley Commits To First EV
The future of manufacturing at Bentley’s plant in Crewe, UK, has been assured with the announcement of a £2.5 billion sustainability investment.
Feb 3, 2022
The sustainability investment, part of Bentley’s Beyond100 future-proofing strategy, will also see the development of Bentley’s first ever full battery electric vehicle, due to be in production by 2025.
Bentley says the reinvigorated ‘Dream Factory’ at Crewe will transform the carmaker into the future benchmark luxury vehicle manufacturer, with unique customer and employee experiences. The factory will combine craftsmanship and digital manufacturing concepts alike.
Bentley’s first-ever Battery-Powered Electric Vehicle (BEV) will be developed and built in the UK with the company committing to investing £2.5 billion in sustainability over the next ten years.
Bentley says the announcement is a major boost for the local economy and helps secure Bentley’s first step into electrification at the production plant, where all Bentley models are built and 4,000 colleagues work.
The first BEV is scheduled to roll off the production line in 2025 and will mark a significant moment in Bentley’s long history. It is also a critical step in the company’s Beyond100 strategy – the carmaker’s plan launched in 2020 that will guide Bentley on its path to becoming exclusively electric and end-to-end carbon neutral by 2030.
The significant investment programme will also result in a complete transformation of Bentley’s entire product portfolio, and the historic Crewe manufacturing facility by embedding an industry-leading greenfield facility into a world-leading, next generation digital, low environmental impact, high-value advanced manufacturing facility.
“Beyond100 is the boldest plan in Bentley’s illustrious history, and in the luxury segment. It’s an ambitious and credible roadmap to carbon neutrality of our total business system, including the shift to 100% BEV in just eight years,” says Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors.
“Our aim is to become the benchmark not just for luxury cars or sustainable credentials but the entire scope of our operations. Securing production of our first BEV in Crewe is a milestone moment for Bentley, as we plan for a long-term sustainable future.”