As per recent reports, Bentley has delayed its first EV launch to late 2026, which has further delayed the launch plan of 5 new EVs from the British luxury carmaker. Its arch-rival — Rolls Royce — has already launched its first-ever electric coupe — the Spectre. The announcement has come up amidst an EV industry slowdown, which is witnessing plummeting sales.
The industry slowdown has forced multiple carmakers to revise their EV-offensive strategies and look out for a middle ground to sustain their sales and profits. Bentley has now reshifted its focus to plug-in hybrid models, which are bound to come shortly. The new plug-in hybrid models are likely to come mated to a V8 internal combustion engine in order to comply with the emission regulations. As a result, Bentley’s timeline of becoming an all-EV brand has also been moved from 2030 to 2033.
Opposing the industry trend, Bentley suggests the reason behind the delay of its first EV is the delay in the rollout of the PPE platform. The new PPE platform, which stands for Premium Performance Electric, has been engineered by Bentley’s parent company Audi in collaboration with Porsche. The new PPE platform already underpins the new Porsche Macan EV and Audi Q6 E-Tron.
The earlier expectations of multiple carmakers including Bentley on the exponential growth of EVs have not been met by the end customers. To continue with profits, carmakers are bound to look otherwise and hybrids seem the most viable option to meet both customer expectations and emissions.
Certain models in Bentley’s portfolio already offer plug-in-hybrid options mated to a 6-cylinder engine. The new plug-in-hybrid powertrain in development is said to fill the shoes of the now-discontinued W12 engine. The new plug-in-hybrid powertrain is likely to go on sale alongside the non-hybrid engine options of the Continental GT, Flying Spur and Bentayga.
Eventually, Bentley will launch the all-electric replacements for the Continental GT, Flying Spur and Bentayga. However, the first Bentley EV will have a new positioning within its portfolio. While there is no word on its body style, Bentley may want to steer away from the SUV body style. A Rolls Royce Spectre-rivalling 2-door electric coupe could be a more sensible option, given the preferences of the luxury segment.