Bentley Chief Says Coronavirus Pandemic Will Help Boost The Electric Push

All industries have been struck hard by the unpredictable coronavirus pandemic, yet the automotive world could have something to gain from the tough measures implied during these challenging times.

Bentley’s chief executive officer, Adrian Hallmark, strongly believes that one positive thing to gain from this situation is that automakers could make the switch to electrification faster, adding that he sees the future “as a turning point, not as an end point”.

Bentley EXP 100 GT Concept

“We have had to ruthlessly prioritize our spend – we’ve had to pull levers to control costs. Whatever we’ve done has been on the combustion engine. We have delayed or deleted certain derivatives”, Hallmark said at the SMMT Summit, quoted by Autocar. “All of our plug-in hybrids and electric vehicles are full steam ahead. We, and the industry, may see this as a natural accelerator to green technologies. If you have to prioritize, where do you place your bets? More horsepower or more cell technology? The obvious answer is the latter.”

Read Also: Bentley Flagship SUV Hinted At By CEO, Could Replace The Mulsanne

Earlier this month, Bentley officially announced that it will cut 1,000 jobs in the United Kingdom, almost a quarter of its workforce, in order to compensate for the closure of its UK factory and lost revenue. The company employs 4,200 workers under a full-time contract, including around 2,200 at the Crewe factory. Initially, they will let some of the staff go through voluntary layoffs, but compulsory leaves were not ruled out either.

Bentley Crewe – last 6..75L V8 made

Subsequently to reshuffling its game plan, the British luxury car maker will be committed to electrifying the business “as fast as we can”, said Hallmark. “We’ve made our factory sustainable, next will be our product range and then our supply chain.”

Bentley’s first EV is reportedly due in 2025. They have allegedly chosen a high-riding sedan body style for their first electric car, and it could be positioned as the indirect successor of the Mulsanne, which was discontinued earlier this month.

The company has already provided us with a glimpse at their zero-emission vision with the EXP 100 GT Concept, which was presented last year with four electric motors making a combined output of 1,340 HP and 1,100 lb-ft (1,491 Nm) of torque. The study can hit 60 mph (96 km/h) in 2.5 seconds and a 186 mph (300 km/h) top speed – and has a 435-mile (700-km) driving range, with the battery taking only 15 minutes to be charged to 80 percent of its capacity.

Note: Bentley EXP 100 GT Concept pictured in the gallery