Bentley Motors has officially opened its new Engineering Technical Centre at its carbon-neutral headquarters in Crewe. The facility, which covers 13,000 square metres across two floors, will play a big part in shaping the future of Bentley’s model development, as the brand continues its transition towards full electrification by 2035.
The new centre was opened at a private event, hosted by Bentley Chairman and CEO Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser and Board Member for R&D Dr Matthias Rabe.
This is the next step in Bentley’s Beyond100+ strategy that will see the marque introduce a new hybrid or fully electric vehicle every year, with the goal of becoming an EV-only manufacturer in the next decade.
Built within Bentley’s Pyms Lane factory, where every Bentley model is built by hand, the centre brings together virtual engineering tools and real-world testing facilities. It houses a prototype workshop, a materials development lab, and a department focused on software integration, including high-voltage electrical systems and digital technologies.
Most of the centre’s personnel and equipment have relocated from the site’s historic A1 building, which is now being converted for future battery electric vehicle (BEV) assembly, scheduled to begin in 2027.
“Our Beyond100+ strategy maps out a fundamental programme of change, using what is known now and adapting that vision as we adopt yet-to-be discovered technologies in the future. We are working on the next generation of electrified driving, digitally connected cars, with driving autonomy that will achieve the highest levels of luxury mobility. This new Engineering Technical Centre is a key building block for the successful delivery of this strategy and helps enable engineering concepts to become reality at the heart of development and integration, as we look to continue to create the most luxurious and performance-oriented vehicles on the market.”
Dr. Matthias Rabe, Bentley’s Member of the Board for R&D
The new engineering centre is part of a substantial investment operation at Bentley’s Crewe facility. This also includes a new Design Studio and ongoing construction of a modern Paint Shop and Integrated Logistics Centre.
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