U.K. automaker Bentley Motors made waves the past year over its lineup from a menacing upgrade to the appearance of its Continental GT to introducing its super-sporty Bacalar two-seater to the well-heeled. Despite making their models more videogenic than ever and adding a few amenities here and there to justify a seven-figure price tag, Bentley hasn't been dedicating much of its resources to green energy vehicles. That all changed on Wednesday when the company announced from its headquarters in Crewe that it would annually roll out a brand-new EV for five years starting in 2025.
Bentley Creating 'Dream Factory'
Bentley calls it the Five-In-Five program, part of a larger Beyond100 zero-emission initiative that received a financial boost of $3.36 billion to upgrade its Crewe manufacturing plant. Plans include reconfiguring the manufacturing infrastructure to build all the Bentley EVs at the plant, reimagined as a "Dream Factory" that continues to create high-quality luxury cars with zero emissions wafting from the facility.
The Crewe factory has already undergone changes to meet that carbon-neutral goal by 2030 before the automaker made news of the investment money public. So far, Bentley plans to dedicate some coffers towards increasing the array of solar panels from 30,000 units to 40,000 by 2024. Other financial resources could go towards researching the likelihood of using sustainable biofuel in vehicles including models in the company's Heritage Collection.
Neutralizing Environmental Impact
Outside the manufacturing domain, Bentley also plans to get its international chain of retailers on the carbon-neutral bandwagon, while encouraging its partners and suppliers to achieve similar goals.
"It is a shining light for the Bentley family, our suppliers and partners, as well as the automotive industry and UK manufacturing as a whole," said Adrian Hallmark, Bentley Motors chairman and CEO. "The world is changing, and we need to play our part in neutralizing our environmental impact. That means delivering on our aim to be end-to-end carbon-neutral by 2030, and reaffirming our role as the leader in sustainable luxury mobility.”
Flying Spur And Bentayga As Hybrids
Meanwhile, the automaker is focusing more immediate attention towards its hybrid lines that include the Flying Spur PHEV and the Bentayaga PHEV, being marketed to a more environmentally-conscious consumer base. Bentley financials predict that at least 20 percent of auto sales in 2022 will come from hybrids.
Source: Bentley Motors