Bentley has pushed back its plans to have its entire lineup be fully electric only from 2030 to 2035, but the brand is still working hard on its first EV production model, which will be revealed in 2026 and go on sale in 2027. Not only will the new electric SUV be in a segment that Bentley has never competed in before, it will also be the company’s smallest offering ever — and I hope more high-end luxury brands follow suit.
The released teaser shows the silhouette and major character lines of the EV, which Bentley describes as being the world’s first “Luxury Urban SUV” that will create a new segment. It will be designed, developed and built at Bentley’s headquarters in Crewe, and from the teaser it should look like a smaller Bentayga. According to Autocar, who attended an online briefing about the model, newly appointed CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser announced the new model will be less than five meters long (196.9 inches), so at least half a foot shorter than a Bentayga. It will still very much be a Bentley despite its relatively compact size, as Autocar reported:
“This first BEV is definitely a milestone for Bentley,” said Walliser. “As the Continental GT and the Bentayga, back in the days, really defined a known sector, a new segment, where no competition was, so that’s again a task for this first EV. It will not replace a car: it will be an additional car in our fleet, and it will be something really different to what we offer today.”
Focusing on a luxury SUV for urban use will help to offset the extra weight and size required by the batteries in an EV. While the company has yet to give firm details of the model’s range, Bentley technical boss Matthias Rabe said: “No customer will complain about range.” He added: “For us it’s also important that the range is good under normal driving conditions, not just with a constant low speed, but also with higher speeds.”
Rabe also promised: “We don’t just want to create any electric car. It has to be a true Bentley.” He said the firm had looked to its heritage fleet “to really learn what makes a Bentley a Bentley, from the driving feeling and all the senses of that car. We’ll use that to create our first electric Bentley, so the sound and all that will be typical Bentley. We are really impressed and excited about that. It will be a true Bentley.”
On the subject of sound, Rabe said that “we are all car guys and sound is extremely important, but it has to come naturally”, ruling out the introduction of synthetic engine noises. But he hinted that the firm is working on “something in a very interesting way for sound. I can’t say more because nobody else is doing it right now. It will be really exciting.”
This new SUV will use the same Premium Platform Electric (PPE) platform that was co-developed by Audi and Porsche, underpinning current models like the Audi A6 E-Tron, Q6 E-Tron and Porsche Macan EV, plus future ones like the next-gen Cayenne and other higher-end Volkswagen Group EVs. It would make sense that the Bentley would be related to the Macan EV, as the Flying Spur and Continental GT are to Porsche’s Panamera, especially as the new Macan is just under five meters long. Walliser promised to Autocar that “…it would be ‘completely wrong’ for Bentley to develop a model that was ‘anything like’ one that the Stuttgart-based firm would produce.” The currently Bentleys don’t feel like Porsches at all, so I’m confident this new EV won’t just be a slapdash rebadge job.
It’s interesting that Bentley is going this route, instead of creating huge ultra-luxury EVs like its rivals. Cars like the Cadillac Celestiq, Mercedes-Maybach EQS SUV and Rolls-Royce Spectre make the most of their electric powertrains and high pricetags, and Bentley easily could’ve made its first EV a humungous coupe or sedan. I think this is the right move, though. Driving a big car in the city is a pain in the ass, whether you’re in a more car-friendly one like Los Angeles or a total nightmare like New York City or Paris. Why can’t there be super luxurious cars that happen to be small, too?
Some brands have toyed with this idea. Mini had the Goodwood special edition, which had a super nice interior built and trimmed by Rolls-Royce, but at the end of the day it was still just a Mini. I adore the Aston Martin Cygnet, but it despite its leather-covered cabin, it was still just a Toyota supermini. Yeah, luxury brands offer small entry-level cars like the Mercedes A-Class or BMW 1 Series, but those are a far cry from an S-Class or 7 Series. As much as I love the Range Rover Evoque, it’s not the same as a big body Range Rover. Porsche is the first company to really nail downsizing without dilution with the Macan, but that’s more of a performance model than an outright luxury one.
You shouldn’t have to give up opulence and engineering because you want a car with a smaller footprint that’s easier to park. I get wanting the presence and style of a big car, but there’s no reason we can’t have that style in a smaller package. I’m looking at you, Rolls-Royces and Aston Martins and Maybachs of the world. Please, continue to build the ridiculous machines we love you for, but try dipping your toes into the world of small cars. I want to walk through a chic neighborhood and see a street-parked, beat-up city car with an interior nicer than my house. I see tons of Bentaygas with broken body panels and curbed wheels anyway. Maybe a smaller car would actually be treated better in the big city.