Electric Bentley: Everything We Know So Far

Bentley plans to add EVs in its lineup starting 2025, and here's why it hitting the roads soon will be so significant.

The future of Bentley is on the horizon, and it's arriving with electrifying force. As the automotive landscape undergoes a remarkable transformation, Bentley is asserting its dominance in elegance and performance, albeit with a sustainable twist. The British luxury automaker's audacious ambition to embrace a fully electric future by 2030 has garnered global attention, promising a shift towards cleaner, yet astonishingly powerful, propulsion.

Bentley's target of breaking into the electric realm, with its aptly named Bentley EV, is slated to grace showrooms by 2025/2026. Under the guidance of Bentley CEO Adrian Hallmark, this EV is anticipated to boast an astonishing output of up to 1,400 horsepower, instantly propelling it into the upper echelons of high-performance electric vehicles. With a projected 0 to 60 mph acceleration of merely 1.5 seconds, this automotive marvel promises speed and a sensory experience beyond compare.

Beneath the hood, the traditional growl of Bentley's famed 12-cylinder engine will give way to the whisper-quiet hum of an electric motor designed to deliver a seamless ride. Built upon the Porsche-Audi-developed PPE platform, the Bentley EV incorporates cutting-edge technology while preserving the brand's opulent essence. Bentley's transformative vision extends beyond the vehicle itself. The company's "Beyond100" strategy is a bold commitment to achieving carbon neutrality across its manufacturing processes and product range by 2030.

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Although announcements of an all-electric Bentley (the Bentley 'EV') broke last year, the auto world has been buzzing, speculating, and questioning whether the British carmaker will come through with its promise. After all, with new plug-ins and regular hybrids quickly taking over its fleet, we're seeing a significant shift within the Bentley brand. From the beginning, Bentley has always boasted loud, gas-powered engines underneath the hood.

Motor

Dual-Electric Motors

Horsepower

Est. 1,400 horses

Torque

TBD

Battery

1000kW

Range

350–450 miles

MSRP

Est. $250,000

However, come 2026, this could all change. Notably, the automaker has mentioned its goal to release the first-ever EV within the lineup, with a sleek and sexy sports car and an SUV. Although Bentley remains pretty hush-hush on which would happen first, or if they both would: we're curious about what that would look like. There have already been endless leaks of the smaller, lower sports car mockup, while the SUV could be one of the brands' current models with a modified interior design. The first-ever EV Bentley could also see as much as 1,400 horsepower, which would crush the competition in this segment.

The Bentley EV is rumored to have 1,400 horsepower, accelerate from 0-62 MPH in under two seconds, and we could even see a 1,000kW battery pack inside. Of course, this is all speculation as the brand keeps the soon-to-be-released model under tight wraps.

Deemed the 'Bentley EV' currently, the potential supercar from the company boasts the rumored ability to accelerate from 0-62 MPH in a touch of roughly 1.5 seconds. Furthermore, from various interviews with the CEO Adrian Hallmark, we'd guess the battery will be nearly 1000kW. That would be an incredibly powerful battery pack, hopefully meaning extended range on top of horsepower and performance. The Bentley is set to be underpinned by Volkswagen Group's PPE architecture, with the platform to be shared with sibling brands Audi and Porsche.

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On top of the Bentley brand being synonymous with loud rumbling engines, replacing a sports car engine with a quiet yet powerful battery pack would easily break the internet. After all, we're seeing many luxury brands dip into the EV market for sports cars, sedans, hybrids, and even trucks: but none at the caliber of Bentley (yet). The Bentley vision moving into 2030 is to get electricity running through the company's heart. Instead of only offering a few plug-in hybrids/regular hybrids, the brand hopes to introduce five EVs into its fleet by the end of this decade.

Ambitious? Yes. Doable? Yes. The issue is that Bentley wants this release to be flawless, so it's taking extra time to test the battery, powertrain, and overall luxury of the alleged Bentley EV. This is not unusual, especially with a brand newer to the technology. However, Bentley does belong to the Volkswagen Group, meaning it has access to their extensive battery platforms and tech like Audi and Porsche. Therefore, the company teaming up with Volkswagen could mean even stronger performance than we'd initially considered.

Typically, it's better to see brands collaborate on electric technology, which advances it faster. Bentley, one of the finest carmakers in the world, is no exception. If they want this release to perform well, pull out all the bells and whistles. It would also be nice to see a Bentley EV sports car and SUV released by 2026: although this could be a pipe dream on our end.

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With Bentley already pledging to be greener and cleaner in its manufacturing beginning this year, we expect EV launches to soon be the norm. The brand has specifically mentioned a five-car release over the next five years to begin the EV takeover of its existing models. Bentley wants to introduce electricity to its fleet by 2030 and only produce EVs from that point onwards. Of course, this could be shocking to long-time fans and customers, as the brand hadn't ever alluded to that leading into the 2020s.

However, with the climate dramatically changing, auto brands are responsible for manufacturing cleaner cars that use renewable energy, even if they're Bentleys. This could be partly because Europe is very strict with auto companies, especially more recently, requiring them to plan for a carbon-neutral future as we wrap up the decade.

It's no surprise that EVs often outperform gas-powered cars in speed and performance, all while omitting zero carbon emissions. That is why Bentley going fully electric by 2030 is both possible and groundbreaking. Of course, this will change for drivers, but it will be one for the best.

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The Bentley brand has been seeing the public's overwhelmingly positive response to its hybrid and PHEV lineup, including the Bentayga and Flying Spur hybrids. As the company has promised to make all its cars with a hybrid or partially electric capability by 2024, this is the perfect soft launch for the upcoming 2026 fully-electric version.

After all, most people respond better to gradual change. Although a powerhouse, Bentley needs to do this EV release in a palatable way for its clients. Considering its vehicles are six figures, Bentley will be pioneering the way of the ultra-luxury EV market if all goes to plan. Moreover, the announcement of the ‘Five-in-Five’ plan, which will see five all-electric Bentley vehicles launched – one each year from 2025- could mean more competition in the growing fight for electric dominance.

We're already seeing luxury car companies tease incredibly attractive models that run on batteries versus fuel, with Tesla being the leader of the pack. However, Ferrari, Porsche, Audi, and even Mercedes plan to go carbon-neutral in the next decade or two, which could create a tight race to the top of the food chain. If someone can spend $200,000+ on a car: why not try a Bentley EV?

Hey! My name is Noah, and I am a full-time content creator focusing on the automotive genre. Whether it's uncovering the next big trend, discussing new EVs, or comparing vehicle models: I'll be here with factual, friendly writing. Thank you for reading :)