The British luxury automaker announced that it will release its first all-electric vehicle in 2026, shocking followers who thought it would arrive significantly later. The news comes as more car makers worldwide, including those in Europe and Japan, attempt to electrify their lineups. 

Unfortunately, full electrification won’t arrive until 2035, the brand says. But new luxury models will continue to come out, with more affluent drivers having an option of fossil fuel—or electron-powered drivetrains. 

Bentley’s Luxury Urban SUV is set to be built entirely in the UK, most likely at its factories in Crewe, Cheshire. Each vehicle is made by hand by the company’s 4,000 technicians and engineered, offering a driving feel that isn’t available elsewhere, particularly among luxury car companies that focus on automation and machine fabrication techniques. 

Teasers of the upcoming electric vehicle show that it has Bentley’s familiar SUV shape. The vehicle is spacious and has a significant road presence, as expected from the brand. 

Importantly, the new car will add to Bentley’s existing lineup instead of replacing any existing model. As such, it will function similarly to models from Range Rover and Rolls-Royce and won’t serve as a full replacement. The model will be released in 2026 and then go on sale to the general public in 2027 and beyond. 

Bentley’s CEO Frank-Steffen Wallise said that Bentley is creating the new car mainly to meet legislative demands. Building out the supply chain for the model is part of the company’s plans to survive in a future of net zero rather than a voluntary attempt to provide its customers with superior technology. He admitted that there wasn’t much demand among Bentley customers for an EV and that it was unlikely that the project would be a commercial success. The brand is hoping that it will bring new customers from other areas, offering a luxury electric vehicle in a tight market. 

According to Wallise, legislation is driving the electrification process. Governments are changing the technology and the makeup of the entire industry, shifting supply chains and altering the creation of value. That’s something even luxury brands, like Bentley, need to consider because it doesn’t involve money, but rather a new industrial policy. If the company’s customers were honest with themselves, they would admit that there’s not much demand for EVs in this category, Wallise says. But he hopes that curiosity will get the better of them and that they will become increasingly interested in electric versions of their vehicles. 

According to Bentley’s internal research, there is a significant amount of demand for highly technologically advanced vehicles. Wallise admits that it’s a trend at the moment and something the customers excited by AI are looking for. The new Bentley will essentially be a modern interpretation of its conventional gas-guzzling vehicles, but likely with added technologies. 

For example, we are likely to see Bentley flirt with the idea of using advanced solid-state cells in its upcoming EV lineup. These would offer greater density and faster charging times compared to existing technologies, making them more attractive to consumers concerned about range anxiety. 

Bentley could also introduce EV chargers with ultra-fast charging if it implemented this state-of-the-art technology. The company could potentially offer consumers 80% charge in less than 15 minutes, allowing them to plug in their vehicles at service station charging points, grab a coffee, and be ready to go by the time they returned, avoiding the need for a separate visit to the gas station. 

According to industry estimates, new solid state systems could have ranges easily in excess of 500 miles, and possibly up to 800 miles. That would give the EV Bentley a longer range than its gas-powered counterpart, reducing the arguments against purchasing the vehicle. 

Whether Bentley will introduce autonomous driving features to the new Bentley remains to be seen. The brand would need to purchase off-the-shelf solutions from a tech company or another automaker with more advanced technology on its books. 

It is likely that Bentley could see Level 3 or Level 4 autonomous driving on the new vehicle, allowing the car to drive itself during traffic jams and on the highway with driver supervision. This technology would allow the driver to relax during these situations, a concept already proven by Tesla. 

Whether the cabin will have more advanced features is yet to be seen. However, given Bentley’s history of luxury interiors, it will likely concentrate much of the vehicle’s investment in this area. Bezel-free OLED displays would be an obvious inclusion. Bentley is a believer in screens in vehicles but also wants to minimize the physical space they occupy. A borderless design could achieve that. 

Adaptive interior lighting would be another easy win. Bentley could offer drivers lights that adapt to their driving preferences or track their circadian rhythm. This technology would be particularly valuable for buyers who change between time zones regularly and need illumination that supports them.

Other inclusions might be things like sustainable luxury features (such as bio-based leathers) and advanced sound management, including different audio zones within the cabin. 

For those following Bentley, this latest announcement is exciting. The prospect of an EV could potentially mean vehicles with a higher power output, more balance, and better performance. It could even lower the cost, although with a brand like Bentley, that seems unlikely.

According to Wallise, the company is already doing a lot to convince customers of the merit of its electric vehicles. The firm says that the transition will be like going from a W12 to a V8 Hybrid, offering drivers more performance than they imagined possible using the current technology. It’s possible, he says, to see and feel the differences as soon as you enter the vehicle. It’s not a situation where there is a risk of the technology getting buried or being seen as an incremental improvement. It is a step change and, according to Wallise, everyone at the firm knows it. 

Talking about the size of the vehicle, Bentley says that the length will remain under five meters. This makes the car easier to manage in urban environments and slightly more practical when trying to find a parking space. It also assists with rural road driving where the paved surface can be narrow. Those with on-street parking outside of their homes will love it. 

Unfortunately, Bentley hasn’t released any technical details about the new vehicle. However, Bentley has provided some tidbits to get its customers excited about the upcoming release. According to the company, there will be a mix of fast charging and sufficient range in real driving to allow it to compete directly with the brand’s existing lineup. The project is more than mere pandering to politicians; Bentley knows that it is eventually going to have to make the switch away from gasoline and rethink the way it builds vehicles to suit a future market. The luxury urban vehicle it has planned is a critical step in that direction. 

Wallise says that no customer will complain about the range and fast charging will be a capability built into the vehicle. That will be true, whether drivers drive at a constant speed or want to combine low with high speed. 

Bentley is already making significant investments in its factories in anticipation of its electrification efforts. The company is training its staff on the finer points of electrification, having already built new assembly lines and paint shops. However, Bentley is keen to point out that the vehicle will still retain many of its handcrafted elements. The carmaker understands that these components are what gives its cars their high-end feel. 

While the new vehicle is an exciting announcement, it reveals the challenges the company has faced transitioning from gas- to electric-powered drivetrains. Originally, the company’s strategy was called Beyond 100, which imagined all its cars becoming electric by 2030. However, it has since rebranded that effort Beyond 100 Plus, pushing back full electrification to 2035 in what many are calling a U-turn. 

Unfortunately, this move reflects the economic realities facing many smaller luxury carmakers. Companies are simply unable to adjust their supply chains fast enough, with existing battery and parts output consumed by mainstream brands. Bentley has announced various new models will go electric, including the Continental GT, GTC, Flying Spur, and Bentayga. But these introductions look slated for the early 2030s rather than the late 2020s, which is surprising for many. 

Given the nature of the incoming administration in the US, it is also becoming increasingly unlikely that car manufacturers will have the same political incentives to transition their production activities to EVs. A Trump government could mean the rollback of such programs, or have them put on ice as the political situation resolves. However, Musk’s inclusion in the Republican effort makes the situation less clear. 

Ultimately, this announcement means that Bentley is moving in the same direction as other luxury carmakers in this space. Its decision to release an EV isn’t a natural choice for the firm, but reveals that it is prepared to invest, given the likely world ahead.