Bentley to go full-electric from 2026

• Quantum shift for one of world's oldest carmarkers
• Hybrids and EVs from 2026
• Only one hybrid on sale at the moment

Bentley’s electric assault will arrive sooner than first anticipated, after the British manufacturer confirmed that it would not sell any combustion-engined cars after 2030.

As part of Bentley’s ‘Beyond100’ online presentation, the marque detailed a future in which it will become carbon neutral by 2030, with further operations to be ‘climate positive’ thereafter.

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The announcement included a mid-step in 2026 which will see the demise of all non-electrified Bentleys. From then on, the only Bentley cars on sale will be electric or plug-in hybrids, with a view to offering only battery electric vehicles after 2030.

“Being at the forefront of progress is part of our DNA - the original Bentley boys were pioneers and leaders,” said Bentley chief executive Adrian Hallmark of the announcement.

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“Now, as we look Beyond100, we will continue to lead by reinventing the company and becoming the world’s benchmark luxury car business.”

Part of the planning brief detailed a few key releases for the near future. Bentley will introduce two new plug-in hybrid vehicles in 2021, mandates that each model in its range will have a plug-in hybrid variant by 2023 and its first full battery-electric model will come in 2025.

Bentley’s goal of becoming a “global leader in sustainable luxury mobility” doesn’t stop at its vehicles. The carmaker has also committed to reducing its factory’s environmental impact by 75 per cent by 2025 and will hold all of its suppliers to a sustainability audit by the end of 2020.

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Furthermore, the brand is also being progressive in identifying its talent, nominating a goal of having a management mix of at least 30 per cent female by 2025.

There's no doubt it's a huge paradigm shift for a traditionally old-school manufacturer, but Bentley remains fully committed to parent company Volkswagen Group’s goal “of going beyond the two-degree target of the Paris Climate Agreement.”

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It’s a big undertaking for one of the world’s largest producers of big W12 and V8 engines – especially considering the only plug-in hybrid offering it current sells is a single Bentayga variant.