Crewe’s first electric car will slot in beneath the Bentayga, with styling influenced by EXP 15 concept
Bentley has revealed the first details of its maiden EV and confirmed it will be able to gain 100 miles of range in just seven minutes – a rate that will make it one of the fastest-charging EVs on the market when it arrives in 2027.
It means that the new EV – what Bentley calls a “luxury urban SUV” – could offer charging speeds of up to 300kW. The fastest-charging EV currently on sale in the UK is the Lotus Emeya, which can accommodate speeds of up to 400kW.
However, to achieve such a speed, it will need to use a capable charger. Average charger capacity in the UK is around 120kW, with just a handful able to provide faster rates.
Further platform details were not shared by the Crewe firm during the announcement on Wednesday, but as the EV will be based on a version of the Porsche– and Audi-developed PPE EV platform, its capabilities can be gauged by looking at the incoming Porsche Cayenne Electric.
The new Cayenne is offered exclusively with dual-motor, four-wheel-drive powertrains putting out between 400bhp in the base car and 805bhp in the top-rung variant (rising to nearly 1000bhp with launch control). A 108kWh battery is estimated to supply a range of up to 373 miles.
There has been no confirmation of how closely related the two cars will be, but at just under 5.0m long, the Cayenne Electric is expected to be almost exactly the same size as the Bentley EV, suggesting scope for close collaboration.
Bentley CEO Frank Walliser confirmed during the announcement that the car will be launched “towards the end of 2026” before deliveries begin the following year. The car’s first official image (below) was also released at the event.
“Our first fully electric Bentley, the world’s first true luxury urban SUV, represents a bold step forward. It embodies our vision for sustainable luxury and technological excellence,” said Walliser. “With industry-leading charging capability and unmistakable Bentley character and design, it marks the beginning of an exciting new era for our brand – a future defined by innovation, craftsmanship and sustainability.”
The announcement comes just a few weeks after the EV broke cover as test prototypes hit public roads for the first time.
When it arrives, the unnamed newcomer will be the shortest Bentley SUV, at less than five metres long, and slot in underneath the Bentayga.
These images of the prototypes show the SUV’s production bodywork for the first time, demonstrating the influence of Bentley’s new brand-shaping EXP 15 concept in its monolithic surfacing, bluff proportions and relatively low-slung silhouette.
The EV was spotted testing after Walliser told Autocar that a substantial reorganisation of sibling brand Porsche’s EV plans would have an impact at Bentley as well.
Walliser said Bentley still plans to launch a new plug-in hybrid or fully electric car every year from 2026, beginning with the urban SUV, but it will pursue a balanced powertrain mix to cater to slow premium EV demand over the coming years.
“There is a dip in demand for luxury electric vehicles, and customer demand is not yet strong enough to support an all-electric strategy. The luxury market is a lot different today than when we announced [our] Beyond100 [plan],” he said.
“Electrification is still our goal, but we need to take our customers with us.”
The move is likely to mean the current Bentayga, Continental GT and Flying Spur will once again offer pure-petrol powertrain options in certain markets, having been planned to go PHEV-only.
The new model, though, will be exclusively electric, with the slightly larger Bentayga continuing to serve as Bentley’s sole ICE SUV offering.
