Bentley launches its first EV, and it could be its cheapest model

Bentley’s first fully electric car tests wealthy buyers’ appetite for luxury EVs, and it comes with a €408 million investment in its Crewe factory. The launch supports existing jobs at a time when several high-end rivals have delayed or dropped plans for electric models.

After more than 100 years, British luxury carmaker Bentley has launched what it calls “one of the most significant new Bentleys in the company’s long history”: its first fully electric model.

The Torcal is Bentley’s fourth model line and its first test of wealthy buyers’ appetite for a fully electric Bentley. The stakes are high for the Volkswagen-owned carmaker: Bentley delivered 4,200 cars in the first half of 2026, down 13.6% from a year earlier.

Bentley has also completed a £350 million (about €408 million) investment in its Crewe factory. The investment covers wider upgrades, including a new production line for the Torcal. UK Business Secretary Jonathan Reynolds said it would support 4,000 existing jobs at the site.

Electric car sales are growing across the EU, but luxury carmakers disagree on how quickly their buyers will make the switch. Porsche has delayed some electric models, Lamborghini has dropped plans for an electric Lanzador, and McLaren says its customers are not yet asking for an EV.

Ferrari unveiled its first EV, the Luce, in May. Its design drew criticism, but Ferrari’s chief executive said in July that orders were progressing in line with expectations, including from new customers.

Bentley is making a different bet: that a familiar-looking SUV, positioned at the entry end of its range, can attract younger buyers as well as existing customers. The Torcal is reported to start at £173,300 (about €202,000) in the UK.

This is below the starting prices listed for Bentley’s other three model lines: £181,365 (about €211,000) for the Bentayga, £207,120 (about €241,000) for the Flying Spur and £239,320 (about €279,000) for the Continental GT.

Bentley says the SUV can travel up to 600 kilometres on a charge. The more powerful Torcal S can accelerate from 0 to 100 km/h in 2.9 seconds. Bentley has also created a sound inspired by its traditional V8 engine to preserve some of the familiar driving feel.

The all-new Torcal, “in every aspect of its design, technology, craftsmanship, materials and sustainability, it is a template for future Bentleys, regardless of powertrain,” said the company in a statement.

The launch comes after Bentley pushed back its original 2030 deadline for going fully electric to 2035 — and later said that even the 2035 target could be extended.

Source: www.euronews.com