New PHEV trio to kick-off Bentley’s 10-year plug-in pledge

Bentley has confirmed it will launch a new plug-in vehicle, using full electric or plug-in hybrid technology, every year over the next decade. These electrified launches will be led by new lower-powered PHEV variants of three existing Bentley models due this summer. 

Bentley brought PHEV versions of the Flying Spur, Continental GT and Continental GTC to market last year and, chief executive, Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser confirmed that plans are now set out for a decade-long succession of new models. The British luxury brand has also begun construction work transforming the oldest building at its Crewe plant, known as A1, to become its new battery electric car assembly line, ahead of the new Bentley electric SUV launching in 2027. 

Bentley’s PHEV powertrains are currently only offered in 769bhp Speed specification on the Flying Spur and Continental GT/GTC models, but new lower-powered versions will join the line-up this summer, and Walliser said customer acceptance of plug-in Bentleys has been high. Four months of PHEV sales have surpassed the last full year of the W12 petrol powertrain. “It’s been a very positive response from our customers to this car and this drivetrain,” he said. 

Walliser declined to reveal how many of the planned plug-in Bentley models would be full electric versus plug-in hybrids, but said Bentley is already taking into account customer demand for EVs not accelerating as expected.

“Our ‘beyond 100 plus’ strategy already considers a slowdown in electrification, our original plan was to be electric by 2030, where now we say 2035, for sure, we will have a very, very close look at all the markets and the acceptance.” said Walliser.

“Our judgment is at the moment that we are really at the, I would say, deep point on the acceptance of electric cars - we assume it will come back. Maybe it was a little bullish in the beginning but as customers gain more experience it’s difficult to judge exactly where the journey goes.”

Walliser was speaking in the wake of Bentley announcing a fourth consecutive year of what it called “high profitability” and sixth in the black in a row. Operating profit, however, was down 37 per cent year-on-year to £373m, which the firm blamed on “global challenges in 2024 and the run-out and replacement of three of our four model lines”. 

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