Drivers may never want to give up combustion engine, says Bentley
Frank-Steffen Walliser conceded that the luxury carmaker's green transition could scare off some customers, especially those who believe:'If it's not a combustion engine, I will not drive it.'
He issued the warning after Bentley recently started work on its first electric vehicle production line in Crewe.
The company's 85-year-old Pyms Lane plant is set to begin building its first electric model, a battery-powered SUV, next year, with the first deliveries expected in 2027.
Mr Walliser, who was appointed last July, reiterated a pledge to roll out a new electric or hybrid model each year for a decade as a prelude to moving to an EV-only line-up by 2035.
The chief executive said the company's clientele is split between people happy to have the latest technology and others who are wedded to traditional engines.
Bentley is intent on pursuing the former, he said, claiming its aim is to develop an EV that can win over doubters.
He said: 'We have a wide variety of customers. They are not driven by the cost per mile. Different things excite different drivers.
'There are, for sure, customers who say, fine, if it's the latest and greatest technology I will take it, whatever it is.'
However, he said others will take the view that 'if it's not a combustion engine, I will not drive it'.
Mr Walliser said anticipating future sales trends was more important than focusing on holdouts against EVs, stressing that the electric SUV would help to boost sales.
He said: 'If we have a great product, a true Bentley, maybe the best Bentley ever, then we will have enough pulling power no matter what the drivetrain.'
Bentley scrapped plans to move to an electric-only line-up by 2030 last November, pushing the date for ending hybrid combustion engine sales back five years.
Mr Walliser said the British brand, owned by German automotive giant Volkswagen (VW), was 'maybe a little bit too bullish in the beginning'.
He said Bentley is monitoring public attitudes to EVs and anticipates that sluggish demand will begin to pick up.
He said: 'Our judgment is that, at the moment, we are at the very deep point on the acceptance of electric cars. We assume it will come back.'
Bentley ended production of petrol-only cars last year as it retired its W12 engine, with all models now equipped with hybrid engines as part of the transition towards EVs.
The chief executive's comments come after VW-owned Audi said it was reconsidering plans to halt new petrol model launches from next year, a day after revealing that it was cutting 7,500 jobs.
Another sister company, Porsche, last month announced that it would expand its petrol-car range after concluding that combustion engines would be around for significantly longer than previously thought.
Bentley's operating profit fell almost 40pc to €373m (£314m) last year, though the company said it achieved record revenue per car as it focuses on 'value over volume'.
Almost three quarters of buyers opted for the bespoke options from the company's Mulliner personalisation division, which typically costs three times more than the baseline price.
Earnings were held back by a volatile economic environment, Bentley said, with the Chinese market posting a drop in sales.
Mr Walliser also said it is not yet clear whether Bentley, which imports parts from Europe, would be affected by Donald Trump's trade war.
The US market, the company's biggest, has seen no reaction so far to the threat of tariffs, he added, with potential buyers conscious that the situation may change and 'staying cool'.
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