First Bentley electric SUV teased ahead of 2026 debut

Bentley's first electric SUV will be positioned below the ICE-powered Bentayga.

Published On Nov 09, 2024 08:30:00 AM

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Bentley will unveil its first electric vehicle, an urban SUV, by 2026. This model will be one of the 10 EV and plug-in hybrid models to be launched by Bentley in the next decade. It will be one of 10 EV and plug-in hybrid models to be launched in the space of a decade.

New Bentley SUV to sit below Bentayga
Will share PPE architecture with other VW group SUVs
Will be under five meters long

Bentley electric SUV: what does the teaser show?

Along with a preview sketch hinting at the car’s roofline, Bentley has described the vehicle, which it will reveal in 2026 and launch the following year, as “the world’s first true luxury urban SUV”, adding that it will create an “entirely new segment”. The model will be designed, developed and produced at Bentley’s Crewe factory.

This confirms our sister publication Autocar UK’s earlier reports that the new EV will be a “segment-straddling crossover”. It will also be less than five metres long, making it Bentley's smallest vehicle to date. The new luxury electric SUV would effectively be positioned below the Bentayga.

This new SUV will sit on the Volkswagen Group’s PPE bespoke electric platform, which has been co-developed by Audi and Porsche and is used on the Audi Q6 e-tron and Porsche Macan Electric. This could hint at the broad size and performance of the Bentley EV. However, speaking to Autocar UK, new Bentley boss Frank-Steffen Walliser said – who previously worked at Porsche – it would be “completely wrong” for Bentley to develop a model that was “anything like” one that the Stuttgart-based firm would produce.

The PPE platform allows for a range of layouts, including single- and twin-motor options, the latter offering all-wheel drive. It can also accept a range of battery sizes and motor types, while its 800V architecture enables ultra-fast charging.

Bentley design chief Robin Page has already said the new model will retain many of the firm’s historic design cues while featuring a new front-end design to reflect the lack of a combustion engine. Extensive offerings from Bentley’s Mulliner customisation division are also likely to be key to making the model a true luxury car.

Notably, the decision to produce an ‘urban SUV’ distances Bentley’s first EV from new electric rivals such as the Rolls-Royce Spectre coupe.

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