Bentley Motors has taken the next step on its journey to become the world’s most sustainable luxury automotive manufacturer with a ground-breaking ceremony for its new Launch Quality Centre and Engineering Technical Centre.

The new facility at Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe, England, will be integral to the brand’s preparations for future Battery-Powered Electric Vehicle (BEV) production and to set a new benchmark in next generation, digital, flexible and high-value manufacturing operations.

Taking a first step, the new buildings will include a replica BEV assembly line as preparation for the introduction of Bentley’s first BEV in 2026.

Furthermore, reinforcing this as a hub for future model development, it includes a software integration centre, prototype workshop, metrology testing and a dedicated area focusing on future materials development.

To mark the occasion, Peter Bosch, Member of the Board for Manufacturing and Dr Matthias Rabe, Member of the Board for R&D, signed a key structural column – one of 101 such columns in the building. Costing £35 million ($42.08 million) to construct, the centre forms part of a £2.5 billion, 10-year investment programme in future products and at the Pyms Lane factory in Crewe, where all Bentley models are handcrafted.

Transforming Crewe into a ‘Dream Factory’ is key to Bentley’s industry leading Beyond100 strategy, which will see the company reinvent its entire product range to support an electrified future, while achieving carbon neutral status by 2030. 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.

Key to the Beyond100 ambitious programme is the Five-in-Five plan, which commits the British brand to launching a new electric model each year, before 2030.

Bosch commented: “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.

“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.”