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Tag: Bentley

  • Volvo Will Transition to All-Electric Lineup by 2030

    Volvo Will Transition to All-Electric Lineup by 2030

    Volvo has become the latest company to embrace an all-electric lineup, promising to achieve that goal by 2030.

    One company after another has committed to phasing out internal combustion engines. Subaru has committed to an all-electric lineup by the mid-2030s, Bentley by 2030, GM by 2035 for light-duty vehicles and Ford by 2030 for the EU market.

    Volvo has now committed to an all-electric lineup by 2030 and plans to phase out any remaining internal combustion models by then, including any remaining hybrids. The company is positioning its decision as an investment in the future, rather than hanging on to a dying business.

    “To remain successful, we need profitable growth. So instead of investing in a shrinking business, we choose to invest in the future – electric and online,” said Håkan Samuelsson, chief executive. “We are fully focused on becoming a leader in the fast-growing premium electric segment.”

    As a short-term goal, the company plans to transition to an electric and hybrid lineup by 2025, with its global sales split between the two categories.

    Volvo’s goal is one of the more ambitious among auto manufacturers, and will likely put additional pressure on its larger rivals.

  • GM Commits to All-Electric Light-Duty Vehicles By 2035

    GM Commits to All-Electric Light-Duty Vehicles By 2035

    GM has become the latest company to commit to an all-electric light-duty lineup by 2035, with the goal of being carbon neutral by 2040.

    Automakers around the globe are embracing electric vehicle (EV) technology, with everyone from Subaru to Bentley committing to phasing out fossil fuels. In the US, President Biden’s action to rejoin the Paris Agreement is placing a renewed emphasis on combating climate change. In addition, President Biden has committed to replacing the entire federal vehicle fleet with American-made EVs.

    Given the groundswell of support, it’s not surprising GM has now become the latest automaker to embrace EVs, vowing to sell only emissions-free, light-duty EVs by 2035.

    “General Motors is joining governments and companies around the globe working to establish a safer, greener and better world,” said Mary Barra, GM Chairman and CEO. “We encourage others to follow suit and make a significant impact on our industry and on the economy as a whole.”

    The company has also committed to becoming carbon neutral in both its products and operations by 2040.

    “With this extraordinary step forward, GM is making it crystal clear that taking action to eliminate pollution from all new light-duty vehicles by 2035 is an essential element of any automaker’s business plan,” said Environmental Defense Fund President Fred Krupp. “EDF and GM have had some important differences in the past, but this is a new day in America — one where serious collaboration to achieve transportation electrification, science-based climate progress and equitably shared economic opportunity can move our nation forward.”

  • Massachusetts Set to Ban New Gasoline Vehicles by 2035

    Massachusetts Set to Ban New Gasoline Vehicles by 2035

    Massachusetts is joining California and New Jersey in its efforts to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles by 2035.

    California became the first state to ban the sale of new gas-powered vehicles in September. New Jersey soon followed with a recommendation by its governor that the state implement a similar ban by 2035.

    Massachusetts has now taken a similar step, according to Car and Driver, implementing a ban nearly identical to California’s. The state’s goal is to achieve net-zero fossil-fuel emissions by 2050. Since 27% of emissions in the state come from passenger vehicles, the ban will be a big step toward that goal.

    The bans coincide with a number of major automakers setting the 2030s as their goal for exclusive electric vehicle (EV) production. Bentley announced its plans to build only EVs by 2030, Subaru has announced it will sell only EVs by the mid-2030s and numerous other manufacturers are accelerating their own transitions.

  • Elon Musk Open to Friendly Merger With Legacy Automaker

    Elon Musk Open to Friendly Merger With Legacy Automaker

    Elon Musk sat down with Axel Springer CEO Mathias Döpfner to discuss a range of subjects, including whether Tesla would acquire a legacy automaker.

    Once derided as a pipe dream with no real chance of widespread success, Tesla has risen to all-new heights in the auto industry. Its market capitalization far exceeds many legacy automakers. In addition, the entire industry is now pivoting to where Tesla currently is, with virtually every major automaker increasing their electric/hybrid production. Many, including Subaru and Bentley, have announced definitive plans to transition exclusively to electric/hybrid vehicles in the near future.

    The state of the industry has caused some speculation that Tesla might considering acquiring one of the legacy automakers, giving it access to a larger network of factories, dealerships and infrastructure. Döpfner addressed this directly in an interview with Musk Tuesday.

    “Is it a serious option to buy one of the incumbents, or one of the big car companies, for you?” Döpfner asked.

    “Well, I think we’re definitely not going to launch a hostile takeover,” Musk said. “So I suppose…if somebody said, ‘Hey, we think it would be a good idea to merge with Tesla,’ we certainly could have that conversation. But, you know, we don’t want it to be a hostile takeover sort of situation.”

    While it doesn’t appear there is any serious discussion or inquiry regarding such a merger, the fact that Tesla is open to such a proposal raises a world of possibilities, both for the automaker and the industry in general.

  • EU Working to Be Self-Sufficient on Electric Vehicle Batteries by 2025

    EU Working to Be Self-Sufficient on Electric Vehicle Batteries by 2025

    As electric and hybrid vehicles become standard, the EU is working to become self-sufficient in the batteries powering them by 2025.

    According to Reuters, China currently is responsible for 80% of the world’s lithium-ion production. European Commission Vice President Maros Sefcovic would like to ensure Europe’s ability to be self-sufficient in the critical tech.

    “I am confident that by 2025, the EU will be able to produce enough battery cells to meet the needs of the European automotive industry, and even to build our export capacity,” Sefcovic told the online European Conference on Batteries, according to Reuters. This would equal enough batteries to power 6 million electric vehicles.

    The news comes on the heals of the VW Group’s announcement it will be increasing its investment in future tech, including electric vehicle technology, to $86 billion over the next five years. In addition, Bentley announced its entire lineup would be electric-only by 2030.

    Being self-sufficient in electric batteries would help the EU and its automakers remain competitive as the industry adopts the new technology.

  • VW Group Increasing Its Investment in Future Tech

    VW Group Increasing Its Investment in Future Tech

    VW Group has announced it is increasing its investment in future tech to a total of 73 billion euros ($86 billion) over the next five years.

    Automakers all over the world are investing heavily in hybrid and electric vehicles. GM recently announced it was investing $2 billion in electric vehicle manufacturing, Bentley announced its entire lineup would be electric by 2030 and Subaru has committed to selling only electric vehicles by the mid 2030s.

    VW had already committed 60 billion euros to future tech, but has now raised that to 73 billion euros.

    “As part of Volkswagen Group’s investment planning, the Board of Management and Supervisory Board today set the cornerstones for securing the Group’s future success. The transformation of the Group and its brands and the strategic focus on the core areas of mobility will be consistently implemented. Considering the enormous challenges we face in the coming years, our financial basis is very solid,” said Hans Dieter Pötsch, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the Volkswagen Group.

    “Having set the course for a battery-electric future in the Volkswagen Group early on, we are now a global leader with our electric platforms and a broad range of electric vehicles,” said Herbert Diess, Chief Executive Officer of the Volkswagen Group. “In the coming years, it will be crucial to also reach a leading position in car software in order to meet people’s needs for individual, sustainable and fully connected mobility in the future. To that end, we have doubled our digitalization spend.”

    The company’s increased investment should help it maintain its position as the world’s largest automaker.

  • Bentley Commits to Full Electric Lineup by 2030

    Bentley Commits to Full Electric Lineup by 2030

    Bentley is the latest automaker to commit to a fully electric lineup of cars by 2030, phasing out fossil fuels.

    Automakers have increasingly been moving toward hybrid and electric vehicles in lieu of fossil fuels. GM recently announced it was investing $2 billion in factories in an effort to focus on electric vehicle manufacturing. Subaru announced in January that it would transition to electric vehicles by the mid-2030s. Ford has been increasing the number of electric vehicles it offers, including the Mustang Mach-E and the F-150. Now Bentley is joining the fray.

    “Since 1919, Bentley has defined luxury grand touring. Being at the forefront of progress is part of our DNA – the original Bentley boys were pioneers and leaders,” said Adrian Hallmark, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Bentley Motors. “Now, as we look Beyond100, we will continue to lead by reinventing the company and becoming the world’s benchmark luxury car business.

    “Driving this change includes, and also goes beyond our products, delivering a paradigm shift throughout our business, with credibility, authenticity, and integrity. Within a decade, Bentley will transform from a 100 year old luxury car company to a new, sustainable, wholly ethical role model for luxury.”

    As part of their commitment, Bentley plans on being end-to-end carbon neutral by 2030. This will include not only its electrification plans, but also improving its manufacturing and operations, as well as working with its third-party suppliers.

  • Idris Elba: Speed Loving Actor Breaks ‘Flying Mile’ Record In Bentley

    Idris Elba has long been known for his need for speed, and now the British actor can add another feather to his racing cap with his new “flying mile” speed record.

    The Thor actor smashed the 88-year-old record that was previously set by Sir Malcolm Campbell in 1927 at Pendine Sands, a beach in South Wales that has long been used for record speed runs.

    Elba took the driver’s seat of a Bentley Continental GT Speed on Sunday and hit a top speed of 186.4 miles per hour during his flying mile attempt. His average speed for the run was 180.4 miles per hour, easily eclipsing the 174.2 miles per hour that Sir Campbell clocked.

    In the flying mile, a car’s speed is timed between two points one mile apart from each other. But unlike other races, drivers gunning for the flying mile don’t have to start from a dead stop. The driver is allowed to build speed before going into the timed zone.

    The Bentley that the 42-year-old used was a standard production car that wasn’t modified or enhanced for the challenge, unlike the specially built Napier-Campbell Blue Bird race car that was used by the previous title-holder.

    “I’m absolutely elated to have broken the flying mile at Pendine Sands,” the Mandela actor said. “It’s an honor to have taken on the challenge and to successfully follow in the footsteps of the illustrious Sir Malcolm Campbell.”

    The record run, which was verified by the UK Timing Association, is part of the Discovery Channel series Idris Elba: No Limits which is slated to be released this July.

    The 4-part series is said to be a new extreme racing documentary for the channel which will see the Pacific Rim actor visiting big speed racing competitions and apprenticing under the field’s experts.

  • Maci Bookout Pregnant, ‘Teen Mom’ Star Survives Car Crash

    Maci Bookout, pregnant Teen Mom star, and her six-year-old son Bentley, reportedly survived a car crash this weekend that sent their car rolling over three times. She is expecting her second child with her boyfriend, Taylor McKinney, Fortunately neither the Teen Mom nor little Bentley were harmed, and the unborn baby is said to be doing well, too.

    According to a report from People magazine, Maci Bookout credits her Jeep with saving their lives, along with the fact that they were wearing their seat belts at the time of the accident.

    With Maci Bookout pregnant, she is very lucky that the pressure from the seat belt didn’t harm her unborn child upon impact. While seat belts almost always do more harm than good, there have been incidents when the pressure across a pregnant abdomen can cause injuries.

    Bookout took to Instagram to give thanks in a number of ways for having emerged unscathed.

    She captioned this post, “Thanking God that my unborn baby girl is perfectly healthy after this. I’d also like to @JeepOfficial @Jeep because if our seatbelts and the roll cage had not done their job, I’m not sure my family and I would of had the same outcome. Thanks to everyone that stopped to help, that was huge. I pray everyone else involved is doing okay. #jeepwrangler #rolledthreetimes #terrifying #totaled #notmyfault”

    A photo posted by ⚡️ (@macideshanebookout) on

    Maci Bookout, pregnant or not, is certainly to be credited with not just making Bentley wear his seat belt, but with wearing her own as well. Too many young moms (Bookout is just 23) fail to wear their own seat belts.

    Maci and Bentley’s crash comes just about a month following a similar crash that her ex, Ryan Edward–who is Bentley’s father–experienced. He wound up in a neck brace as a result of his injuries. With Maci Bookout pregnant, a neck brace would be extra uncomfortable. Fortunately she didn’t have travel down that road.

    Teen Mom fans everywhere are likely breathing a collective sigh of relief knowing that no one was seriously harmed during her accident this weekend.

  • Nina Pham Reunited With Bentley After The Dog’s Ebola Quarantine

    On Saturday, November 1, Dallas nurse Nina Pham was reunited with her dog after its 21-day quarantine on suspicion for Ebola infection. Pham, who had contracted Ebola while caring for a patient and successfully recovered from the virus, met her dog Bentley again at Hensley Field, the decommissioned naval air base at which it was being quarantined.

    Pham was apparently overjoyed to see Bentley, whom she called “one of my best friends,” and said she was “excited to take Bentley home so we can start picking out his gifts for his two-year birthday party next month” in a short statement she made on Saturday.

    Pham and Bentley were separated when the Dallas nurse tested positive for Ebola on October 12, leaving the King Charles Cavalier spaniel’s fate uncertain. Pham was reportedly brought to the National Institutes for Health in Maryland, while Bentley was cared for by the Dallas Animal Services. Dogs are supposedly not known to be carriers of the Ebola virus, but because it was uncertain whether they could transmit it from someone affected by it, Bentley was placed under a quarantine of 21 days and given twice-daily check-ups by veterinarians in hazmat suits.

    While Pham was cleared of the virus and released on October 24, Bentley was still under quarantine until November 1. The dog underwent tests for Ebola, the last of which happened on Thursday, October 30. Bentley tested negative for Ebola at all times, which meant he could go home at the end of his quarantine.

    “He’s such a joy, you can’t help but love this little guy. I can’t wait to see him on talk shows when he’s all healthy and out of here,” said Dr. Cate McManus, operations manager of Dallas Animal Services in an interview with CNN.

    Pham said that getting Bentley back “just feels like Christmas literally,” and that being with her dog was one step closer to her “feeling whole again.”

  • 3D Printers Are Fueling The Future Of Automobile Design

    Car designers are some of the most creative people in the world. A quick trip to an automobile trade show will prove that point pretty quickly. With the advent of 3D printing, these creatives will be able to realize their ideas even faster than before.

    The Stratasys blog recently had a chance to talk with the folks at Bentley Motors about how their designers are using 3D printers to revolutionize the design process. With a multi-material Objet500 Connex 3D printer, the designers are able to produce scale models, and even full-scale models, of its latest cars. These models help them test new designs before they move into mass manufacturing.

    Of course, car manufacturers using 3D printers is nothing new. Back in August of last year, Audi revealed that it started to prototype vehicle parts using 3D printers. Car enthusiast Jay Leno also revealed that he had been using 3D printers to replace car parts that were no longer produced.

    More impressive than either of those examples, however, is a small company called Kor Ecologic that is aiming to make the first street-legal 3D printed car. The entire car, barring the engine, is printed with a hard ABS plastic that’s lightweight yet durable. The team has already enjoyed a number of successful road tests, and hope to be in full production in the next few years.

    [Image: Stratasys/YouTube]

  • Bentley SUV To Go On Sale In 2016

    Bentley announced today that they have been given the go-ahead to start working on the 2016 SUV. The Volkswagen AG subsidiary presented the concept on a new, luxurious SUV at last year’s Geneva Auto Show.

    The SUV will be assembled in Bentley’s main factory in Crewe, England. Bentley President, Christophe Georges, has promised that the new SUV “will be the most luxurious and most powerful SUV on the market”. It is expected that the company will invest over 1.2 billion dollars on the SUV within the next three years and will lead to the opening of 1,000 new jobs.

    Although the idea received some harsh critiques, it is believed that the 2016 SUV will be the best-selling Bentley ever. Martin Winterkorn, the Volkswagen Group CEO stated during the announcement today,“Bentley fans all around the world are looking forward to the brand’s first SUV. Together we will make this new Bentley another true Bentley–powerful, exclusive and successful.”

    A sketch of the SUV was released today. The vehicle will be based on the EXP 9 F concept presented at the Geneva motor show last year. There will, however be changes made from the EXP 9 F design.

    Bentley spokesperson, Graeme Russell, made a statement saying, “We believe that this car can create a niche for itself within the SUV market in a similar manner to the way the original Continental GT created a market for itself when it launched. Given the impact that had on Bentley sales, taking the company to over 10,000 units in 2007, I think it is fair to say that there is a level of experience both within Bentley and within the VW Group that could well see the SUV model contribute its fair share of the global sales aspirations of 15,000 vehicles per annum.” Bentley is hoping and planning on selling 3,000 SUVs their first year.