Zero to 60 mph in 1.5 seconds. That’s the claim Bentley is making about its forthcoming EV, expected to debut in 2025.
British luxury automaker Bentley says its highly anticipated EV will house 1400 hp—capable of delivering an impressive zero to 60 mph acceleration, according to Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark.
“If we are 650 hp now with GT Speed, we will be double that with the BEV,” Hallmark said in a recent interview. “But from a 0 to 60 mph point of view there are diminishing returns. The problem is, it’s uncomfortable. The thrill of 2.4 seconds to 60 mph (about 97 kph) is great about 10 times. Then it just becomes nauseous.”
Tesla’s fastest clocks in at under two seconds; the Model S Plaid accelerates from 0 to 60 mph in 1.99 seconds. Hallmark says the new car will also offer slower acceleration ranges, closer to 2.7 seconds.
“Makes you wonder, though, if Bentley is anticipating this sort of EV performance by 2025, you’d think sportier vehicles from Porsche and Audi would deliver the same numbers, if not better… and sooner,” says Scooter Doll of Electrek. “Plus, those two VW group subsidiaries seem to have zero issues designing aerodynamic vehicles that look like EVs, unlike Hallmark who wants to do the opposite. It will be interesting to see the first images of Bentley’s first EV.”
Electric Bentley
While there are no prototypes yet, the EV has certainly been hyped up by Bentley. Last year it announced the car would come with technology that allows the car to make music as it’s driven in a partnership with the company LifeScore. Its algorithms compose music based on data collected about your Bentley while you drive it.
“Every journey results in a real time user experience that is deeply personalised,” the carmaker said in a statement. “The signals from the vehicle create a unique sonic soundscape that responds to how and where the vehicle is being driven and under what conditions. Rather than listening to music to distract from travel, the vehicle is now able to compose an instrumental soundtrack to engage with the journey.”
The bells and whistles are just that, though. The automaker has not been shy about its plans to become the most sustainable car company in the world.
“In our Beyond100 strategy, we committed to becoming a global pioneer in sustainable luxury mobility,” Bentley says on its website. “That means becoming fully carbon-neutral, from our factory to the cars we create, by 2030. Our suppliers are also expected to meet minimum sustainability standards – and by 2025, our entire global retailer network will be carbon neutral too.
“But it doesn’t stop there. The strategy has since accelerated, with the announcement of the ‘Five-in-Five’ plan, which will see five all-electric Bentley vehicles launched—one each year from 2025—at which point our entire product range will be electric.
“As for the cars we build today, things are moving just as fast. Our Flying Spur and Bentayga models are already available with hybrid powertrains. Before long, they will be joined by the Continental GT and GTC – the next step on a journey that is gathering momentum by the day.”
Dream Factory
In January, Bentley announced it was investing more than $3 billion into electric vehicles—the Beyond100 plan that includes the development of its “Dream Factory” at its Crewe, England, headquarters.
“Beyond100 is the boldest plan in Bentley’s illustrious history, and in the luxury segment,” Hallmark said in a statement. “It’s an ambitious and credible roadmap to carbon neutrality of our total business system, including the shift to 100 percent BEV in just eight years. Our aim is to become the benchmark not just for luxury cars or sustainable credentials but the entire scope of our operations.”
The new Dream Factory will see Bentley design, develop, and produce the first EV in Crewe, a move it’s proud of—particularly because of the impact on the local team—the headquarters employ about 4,000 currently.
“Securing production of our first BEV in Crewe is a milestone moment for Bentley, and the UK, as we plan for a long-term sustainable future in Crewe,” Hallmark said.
