Bentley will reveal more details of its first EV next week, it has confirmed.
The announcement will be made on 5 November, alongside what Autocar understands to be the unveiling of the new Continental Supersports.
What information will be provided remains unknown, but it could include details of the EV's powertrain.
The "luxury urban SUV" will be based on a version of the Porsche-and-Audi-developed PPE EV platform and as such is expected to be closely related to the 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 in the most efficient variant and can be charged at rates of up to 400kW.
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.
A full unveiling is not due until the middle of 2026, before customer deliveries get under way in the second quarter of 2027.
The news comes just a few weeks since 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 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 Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser told Autocar that a substantial reorganisation of sibling brand Porsche's EV plans would have an impact at Crewe 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 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.
Join the debate
Add your comment
I would have thought EVs are particularly well suited to the extreme luxury market. Their inherent smoothness, quietness and linear power delivery are assets while I can't imagine many are used for pounding up and down motorways every day where recharging and range limitations might be an issue. And if the cost is high, then well heeled customers probably won't notice the difference!
I don't reckon this car will give me "the horn"