Bentley teases silhouette of its first electric SUV
Bentley has released a teaser photo of its first BEV model under a cloth, revealing typical SUV contours with large wheels and a long bonnet. The model, which the traditional brand from Crewe, UK, describes as the “world’s first true luxury SUV,” will be less than five metres long and enable “a charging time from 0 to 100 miles in less than seven minutes.” The manufacturer is feeding its fan community with these few details. However, Bentley is not revealing any more at this stage. The launch of the electric car is still planned for the end of 2026, with deliveries scheduled to begin in the course of 2027. Development of the vehicle is progressing rapidly, “with pre-production and prototype vehicles undergoing a global performance programme,” according to the British VW subsidiary.
Bentley originally wanted to convert its entire model range to electric drive by the end of the decade as part of its ‘Beyond 100+’ strategy. However, due to sluggish demand for electric cars in the luxury segment, the VW brand has softened these plans. First, the timetable was pushed back to 2035, then in September 2025, Bentley announced a further change of course. In the process, the British manufacturer has completely abandoned the idea of a fixed end date for combustion engines. However, electric vehicles will continue to be a high priority in Crewe, as evidenced by the planned market launch of the all-electric SUV in 2026 and a concept car presented in July that gave a glimpse of future electric Bentleys.
However, Bentley makes it clear in its latest announcement that hybrid models will remain part of its range until at least 2035. In addition, a new limited-edition performance model with a combustion engine is to be unveiled before the end of the year. The Bentley product plan, revised under Chairman and CEO Dr Frank-Steffen Walliser, explicitly provides for a renewed upgrade of models with combustion engines and plug-in hybrid drives. For example, the successors to the Bentayga, Flying Spur and Continental GT series were originally intended to be purely electric vehicles. However, as demand for combustion engines remains high, particularly in the US and the Middle East, the models will now continue to be offered with petrol engines.
“Today’s updates to our Beyond100+ strategy reaffirm Bentley’s commitment to progress — responsibly and sustainably,” commented Walliser. “We are evolving our product cadence to reflect the realities of a changing world and a dynamic marketplace. By extending introducing new internal combustion engined models, and offering hybrid powertrains until at least 2035, we are ensuring that every Bentley customer can continue to experience the full breadth of our performance and craftsmanship.”
Walliser describes the first fully electric Bentley as a bold step forward: “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 Beyond100+ strategy also includes a redesign of the production infrastructure at the historic Crewe site, with the factory’s oldest building (‘A1’) being prepared for the assembly of Bentley’s first electric car. In addition, Bentley recently opened a new Engineering Technical Centre on site, which will bring together prototype production, material testing and software integration for upcoming electric vehicles.
This article was first published by Cora Werwitzke for electrive’s German edition.
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