Bentley boss: future EVs to offer double the power of W12 models

On battery range, Hallmark claims his future Bentley EVs will have “two degrees of freedom” not available to mainstream models. They will have early access to sophisticated new battery technologies and their intrinsically higher prices will allow them to use the tech sooner than mainstream cars.

Early on there will be two battery specifications, with the Speed models using the higher-performance variety. Hallmark labels this variety “the W12 of batteries”.

He says: “I can’t name our partner manufacturer or the type but our cars will have a 350- to 450-mile range, together with a rapid-charging time from 10% to 80% in less than 20 minutes.” Bentley EVs will offer parity on range with the models they are replacing, he says.

The five-strong post-2026-model Bentleys will consist of the cars we know now – Flying Spur, Bentayga, Continental GT and GTC – plus another model. Hallmark won’t give details (although in our conversation he notes several times that rapid, market-wide SUV demand is still expanding fast). 

Neither will he say which of the new EVs will be the 2026 ice-breaker, although he confirms it won’t be merely an electrified version of an existing model.

As they appear, the new Bentleys will be “easily recognisable” while progressing the company’s design language along lines already seen in the Bacalar and Batur concepts (both now adopted for super-exclusive production runs of 12 cars and 18 cars respectively). Bentley has no plans to reduce the imposing size of its cars and is also prepared to concede “a little” on aerodynamic efficiency. “Our job is to build Bentleys,” says Hallmark, “not BEVs with Bentley badges attached.”

When the five models are established, Hallmark expects production volume to grow from today’s 15,000 to “something closer to 20,000”, although he insists the company will never chase volume for its own sake. He’s proud of the fact that in 2022 Bentley needed to produce only 4% more cars to boost turnover by 19% and earn a record operating profit of £620 million. 

These earnings represent a 20.9% return on sales, a stellar performance for a car company and another record, although Hallmark brings things down to earth by pointing out that at last the company is making as much on every car as the government.

The reason for such widely different increases in turnover, profit and production numbers is easily explained, says Hallmark, and shows the potential of a business direction Bentley intends to steer towards more in future.

The company has proved it can increase earnings dramatically by providing customers with more choice and more personalisation, rather than chasing volume or raising basic prices. Demand for customised luxury cars keeps rising and Bentley is doing a better job of meeting it.

Despite the success, Hallmark believes luxury car companies must beware what he calls the “fur coat effect” – negative actions from those who dislike or disapprove of them. Part of Bentley’s defence is a corporate philosophy, revealed at the firm’s centenary, called Beyond100, that aims to keep the company and its products relevant in fast-changing times by anticipating trends, demands and difficulties.

“Part of the reason for Beyond100 is existential,” the CEO explains. “If, for instance, we can claim zero carbon footprint – and our manufacturing processes already achieve that – we remove a potential threat. That’s also why we support the research into e-fuels and why we’re unwavering in our determination to have a fully carbon-neutral range of cars by 2030.”

On motorsport, traditionally a key part of Bentley DNA, Hallmark says it would have been “lovely” to return to Le Mans for this year’s centenary event, which is also the 100th anniversary of Bentley’s first entry and the 20th anniversary of the most recent Le Mans win.

The company looked briefly at competing in LMDh (a so-called Le Mans Daytona hybrid prototype formula for cars designed to compete alongside Le Mans hypercars) but decided it already had too much to do, first hybridising all of its models, then launching the five new EVs, including the promised all-new model.

“If we went racing, it would have to be global and full electric,” says Hallmark. “And it would need to be endurance racing, say four- or six-hour races, not Formula E.

There’s no maturity around plans for electric endurance racing. Maybe it needs battery swapping or fast charging – that would make for interesting pit stops – but there’s lots of work needed yet. We keep listening, and we stay in the committees, but we don’t have formal plans.”