LONDON, Nov. 6 (Xinhua) -- British luxury carmaker Bentley said Thursday it will continue producing petrol and hybrid models beyond 2030, following updated government rules allowing low-volume manufacturers to delay the phase-out of pure combustion engines.
In an April 6 announcement, the British government confirmed that micro-volume manufacturers and producers of specialist or kit-built vehicles will be exempt from the requirement to end sales of pure petrol and diesel cars by 2030. The policy directly affects luxury performance brands with limited production, including Bentley, Aston Martin, and McLaren.
The exemptions aim at supporting Britain's automotive industry during the transition to zero-emission vehicles.
Announcing Bentley's updated strategy at the company's headquarters in Crewe, Cheshire, Chairman and CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser said the firm will retain hybridised versions of the Continental GT, GTC convertible, and Flying Spur "until at least 2035."
While easing its pace toward full electrification, Bentley confirmed that pre-series production has begun for its first fully electric model, an ultra-luxury urban SUV. The full unveiling of that model is scheduled in 2026, with market deliveries starting in 2027. The company added that it would launch a new limited-production, non-hybrid performance model before the end of this year.
Motor industry expert David Bailey, professor at the University of Birmingham, told Xinhua that the company's move reflects both the government exemptions for niche manufacturers and the slower-than-expected uptake of EVs across the country.
"The take-up of electric vehicles is slower than expected," he said, noting that while EV sales have risen to around 25 percent of the British new-car market, the figure still falls short of the 28-percent mandate for 2025.
Bailey added that many manufacturers anticipate a "mixed market," combining electric, hybrid, and combustion-engine vehicles throughout the next decade. "The combustion engine will eventually disappear, but it may remain with us longer than previously forecast," he said.
