Luxury car manufacturer Bentley has today announced that its Crewe plant is the first automotive luxury factory to become officially carbon neutral. This, on the way to its goal of being the world’s most sustainable luxury automotive manufacturer.
What does carbon neutral mean?
What does it mean to say that the marque’s Crewe factory is carbon neutral? Well, the PAS 2060 standard reflects the factory’s exclusive use of renewable electricity.
It also takes into account other measures to reduce the carbon that the manufacturing process emits. All emissions that Bentley can’t eliminate, are offset. That means in investing in gold standard carbon credits, the money for which goes into offsetting projects.
“The Carbon Trust is pleased to certify Bentley’s factory headquarters to PAS 2060, demonstrating its carbon neutrality,” said John Newton, head of certification, at the Carbon Trust.
- Lost in France: bombed Bentley rises again
“The initiatives that Bentley has undertaken to achieve this certification demonstrate the company’s commitment to becoming more sustainable.”
Bentley doesn’t just want to be green in the production of its cars. It wants its cars to be green too. The marque has said that it’s ‘accelerating its push towards electrification’. The Bentayga is the first Bentley to be hybridised. The rest of the range is to follow in 2023. All that’s left is the introduction of its first full EV in 2025.
Bentley’s solar car park
Bentley finished installing the UK’s largest solar car port earlier this year. Made up of 10,000 solar panels, it covers 1,378 parking spaces. That’s capable of generating 2.7mw of the sites total solar output of 7.7mw. In total, the Bentley factory produces enough solar energy to power 1,750 homes.
“While 2019 has marked Bentley’s centenary, our focus is now on preparing the business for the next 100 years,” said Adrian Hallmark, chairman and chief executive office of Bentley Motors.
“We want to lead the way in the delivery of sustainable luxury mobility – by providing our customers with products and services that reflect their own values.
We are very conscious of our responsibility to consider the environmental, social and economic impact of our organisation, and today’s news is just the latest stage in this journey.”