Bentley confirms first EV as "luxury city SUV"

Bentley has scaled back its electrification plans in the face of slower-than-expected growth in demand for electric vehicles, but will launch battery-only vehicles by 2026, which was previously announced, CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser said at a press conference held on Thursday.

Bentley planned to launch its first EV by the middle of the decade to become a fully electric brand by 2030 and follow it up with new EVs each year for the next four years.

However, the automaker currently plans to launch only the EVs confirmed by Walliser on Thursday as SUVs, adding more as the market changes. According to Walliser, Bentley plans to launch a new EV or plug-in hybrid every year after the first EV, and currently targets the switch to a full electric lineup by 2035.

During the meeting, Matthias Rabe, Bentley's Head of Engineering, said that since Bentley's evs use only a dedicated EV platform, no model can choose an electric or plug-in hybrid powertrain. According to him, the requirements for packaging are very different, so it is necessary to compromise.

This means that Bentley's debut EV has nothing to do with other Bentley models. It has become a new model line and is described by Walliser as a "luxury city SUV."It measures less than 197 inches in length and is smaller than the Bentayga, which measures 202 inches in nose to tail and is more agile than a typical Bentley. According to Walliser, this is aimed at making it easier to drive in urban areas and attracting new buyers to the brand. Walliser had previously stated that while the majority of Bentley's existing customers do not want EVs, there is also a segment of buyers looking for high-end EVs. For these buyers, he said, it's not just about the drivetrain, but the whole experience.

While few specific details about the first EV were revealed during the meeting, Rabe revealed that there was a clear sound the vehicle emits. He said the vehicle doesn't have a synthetic sound, as many other automakers do, but instead has a novel setting of "nobody's doing it."He also said that the EV has enough range and Bentley will focus more on providing very fast charging speeds.