Bentley teases the silhouette of its next electric SUV

Bentley has given us a preview this week of what will be its first fully electric vehicle, a luxury SUV that the British manufacturer says will arrive to redefine the segment it belongs to. A published image reveals the silhouette of this new model covered by a cloth, clearly showing an SUV with large wheels and an extended bonnet.

At just under five metres long, the Crewe-based firm presents this electric SUV as the world’s first genuinely luxurious one. This gives us an idea of what to expect.

Although Bentley has not revealed more details for now, what we do know is that its launch will take place at the end of 2026, with the first deliveries following shortly afterwards, as early as the beginning of 2027. Until that day arrives, Bentley’s engineers continue working on its development, which is progressing well, using prototypes that are undergoing global performance tests.

Change of plans

Initially, the Beyond 100+ strategy sought to electrify the entire Bentley range by the end of this decade. However, the slowdown in demand for luxury electric vehicles has forced the British manufacturer to readjust its timetable for the transition to electric mobility. First it was pushed back to 2035, and finally last September, Bentley removed any specific date for ending the use of combustion engines.

This decision, however, has in no way affected the future launch of electric models, which remain a priority for the brand. The only thing that has changed is the approach, now favouring coexistence with combustion-engined models for as long as demand for the latter continues.

The company confirms that plug-in hybrids will remain in its line-up until at least 2035. In addition, a new high-performance model with a combustion engine in a limited edition will be presented before the end of the year. Under the direction of Frank-Steffen Walliser, an additional boost has been given to petrol and hybrid versions. Thus, for example, the successors to the Bentayga, Flying Spur and Continental GT, which were going to end up as exclusively electric models, will ultimately retain combustion-engined versions, with the ultimate aim of meeting the strong demand still existing in markets such as North America and the Middle East.

“This readjustment of our Beyond100+ strategy reaffirms Bentley’s commitment to responsible and sustainable progress. We are adapting our product pace to a changing world and a dynamic market, extending the availability of combustion-engined models and offering hybrids until at least 2035.”