Bentley has abandoned its EV-only ambition and is now betting on flexibility instead.
CEO Frank-Steffan Walliser said predictable planning is no longer possible and may never return.
The British luxury marque once positioned itself as a leader of sustainable luxury mobility at its Beyond 100 event in 2020.
That roadmap called for phasing out conventionally powered vehicles by 2026, leaving only plug-in hybrids or EVs.
A full switch to electric-only was then set for 2030.
Those targets slipped.
Bentley has only now launched its first electric vehicle, the Torcal, which reached the market nearly a year late.
The Torcal delivers up to 375 miles (604 km) of range, and early reaction has been mixed.
It is expected to remain Bentley's sole EV for years, with the next electric model not due until after 2030.
Why Bentley Is Slowing Its Electric Shift
Walliser argued the company was right to ease off its electrification push.
He pointed to consumers who are not ready for fully electric cars and regulators who have stepped back from aggressive adoption deadlines.
"In the past, you made a plan for 10 years and then you just went with it. We delivered the cars in a relatively stable environment.
It's not the case anymore," Walliser said.
To cope, Bentley is preparing to build plug-in hybrids and EVs on the same production line.
That setup would let the automaker respond faster to shifts in demand and requirements.
Bentley is also compressing its development cycles.
An all-new model currently takes four years to create, and the company aims to cut that to three.
Walliser ruled out a plug-in hybrid version of the Torcal.
He said the crossover uses the EV-only PPE platform, so adding an engine would only create overlap with the Bentayga.
