Bentley has made another step on its £2.5bn investment programme to become the world’s most sustainable luxury car manufacturer.
It has broken ground on a £35m state-of-the-art facility in Crewe, Cheshire which it says will be “integral” to its future battery-powered electric vehicle (BEV) production.
The centre will include innovative technologies, skills and facilities, to enabled a “truly digital, highly-flexible benchmark for luxury car manufacturing.”
The buildings include a simulated BEV assembly line, software integration centre, metrology testing, prototype workshop and materials development capability.
The replica assembly line will be preparation for the introduction of its first BEV in 2026 and future model development.
“Breaking ground on the new Launch Quality Centre and Engineering Technical Centre is another major milestone on our journey towards an electrified, carbon-neutral future,’ said Peter Bosch, Member of the Board for Manufacturing.
“The automotive industry is in the middle of a digital revolution, with cars becoming true digital devices, and this presents a significant opportunity for Bentley as we aim for a benchmark position in next generation, high-value manufacturing that supports our evolving Dream Factory and re-emphasises our commitment to both our Beyond100 strategy and our long-term future at the site.”
The £2.5bn Beyond100 strategy, is a 10 year investment programme, to transform into a “Dream Factory.” As well as reinventing its entire product range to electric, it aims to achieve carbon neutral status by 2030.
It stated:
“This digital, zero environmental impact, flexible and high-value manufacturing facility will introduce a go-to-zero approach on the environmental impacts of manufacturing and lead the luxury car industry in next generation digital applications.”
