Bentley was the first ultra-luxury automaker to introduce a crossover and it appears the company could also become the first to offer an electric vehicle.
Speaking to Reuters, Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark said he presented a new plan to the company’s board and it contained a lot of things that would make the brand more eco-friendly. While he didn’t go into specifics, Hallmark said the plan took “stock of all the models, all the powertrains, all the future technologies that we needed to invest in and re-cut the plan to be more electrified than we were.”
Hallmark went on to say the company is currently debating its first electric vehicle and said it should arrive before 2025. There’s no word on what form the model could take, but a decision is expected in about a year.
While the model hasn’t even been green-lighted, Automotive News suggests it could ride on the Premium Platform Electric (PPE) being developed by Audi and Porsche. The first vehicles based on the architecture are slated to arrive in 2021.
Bentley isn’t a stranger to electric vehicles as the company unveiled the EXP 12 Speed 6e concept at last year’s Geneva Motor Show. At the time, the automaker said an “all-electric Bentley will not compromise the quality, refinement and high performance levels expected of the luxury brand.”
While Bentley was coy on details, they suggested their first electric vehicle would have a high-speed inductive charging system and a “range sufficient for grand touring requirements.” The company didn’t mention any numbers, but said customers should be able to expect to travel between London and Paris or Milan and Monaco on a single charge. That isn’t very specific, but Google Maps says the distance between London and Paris is approximately 283 miles (456 km).
