Bentley Unveils Torcal SUV, Its First Electric Vehicle

Bentley on Wednesday unveiled the Torcal SUV, its first fully electric vehicle, betting that wealthy buyers want zero-emission motoring without sacrificing the design cues that have defined the British luxury carmaker for more than a century.

The launch of the Torcal SUV comes months after Ferrari's first EV drew criticism from some enthusiasts for bearing little resemblance to the Italian brand's traditional low-slung, gas-powered sports cars. Bentley's debut EV, by contrast, retains styling cues from the company’s combustion-engine models, including diamond-shaped lights designed to evoke a traditional front grille, even though EVs do not require one for engine cooling.

The car also recreates the feel of a V8 engine through a soundtrack based on orchestral timpani, or kettledrums, supported by smaller drums that quicken as the vehicle accelerates.

A ‘More Affordable Bentley’

“Our intention was always to make a Bentley first,” Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser told Reuters. “We feel people are not asking for a completely different car just because it’s electric.”

Beyond Ferrari, Rolls-Royce, owned by BMW, is the only other major ultra-luxury carmaker currently selling an EV. Lamborghini, which like Bentley is owned by the Volkswagen Group, has delayed its first EV until the end of the decade. Britain’s McLaren said last week it had no plans for an EV, citing limited customer demand.

Bentley previously delayed the launch of its first EV until 2026 and abandoned a target of becoming fully electric by 2030, stating that customers were not ready for the shift.

Unlike Ferrari’s electric Luce, which starts at €550,000 ($628,000), the Torcal sits at the lower end of Bentley’s range, with a starting price of £173,000 ($230,000). Walliser said the model represents a “more affordable Bentley … that definitely opens new markets.”

Bentley has been showcasing the vehicle to existing and prospective customers, with strong interest from Europe, the Middle East, and US states where EV adoption is high. A launch campaign in China will begin next year.

“Half of the interest comes from existing customers,” looking for a new EV or to replace a car in their fleets, while “approximately 50% are new to the brand,” Walliser said.

Bentley has invested £350 million ($465 million) in its plant in Crewe, northwest England, to build the Torcal. This investment follows similar recent announcements from other automotive manufacturers in Britain, including McLaren's £500-million investment and Nissan's £170-million investment.

British business minister Jonathan Reynolds stated that Bentley’s investment demonstrates that the country is creating the right conditions for growth.

($1 = 0.8764 euros)