Bentley EV in the Works
Volkswagen AG’s Bentley unit has decided not to add a small crossover vehicle to its lineup and is moving forward instead with plans for an electric car, Autocar reports.
#hybrid
Volkswagen AG’s Bentley unit has decided not to add a small crossover vehicle to its lineup and is moving forward instead with plans for an electric car, Autocar reports.
“We’re favoring a car with a full electric powertrain,” Bentley chief Wolfgang Durheimer tells the U.K. enthusiast magazine. Noting that an EV’s torque and acceleration characteristics fit Bentley’s performance-oriented character, Durheimer says his intent is to make the brand the luxury segment leader in electrification.
The EV—Bentley’s first such model—likely would be a midsize sports car that shares a platform with Porsche’s Mission E sports car that’s due in 2019, according to Autocar. This would make it larger than the concept EXP12 Speed 6e two-seater Bentley displayed earlier this year at the Geneva auto show.
Speaking at this week’s Frankfurt auto show, Durheimer confirmed plans for three plug-in hybrid models. In addition to the previously announced plug-in hybrid variant of the Bentayga crossover/SUV, Bentley also is developing hybrid versions of its Continental and Flying Spur models.
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