Bentley won’t switch debut EV to hybrid power
Bentley has confirmed that its debut electric car, currently dubbed the Luxury Urban EV, will not be re-engineered with an internal combustion engine when it makes its debut in the second half of 2026.
Despite other high-end brands including Lotus and Lamborghini turning to plug-in hybrid technology in the face of lower-than-expected EV demand, Bentley has said its first all-electric model will remain a pure EV.
Lotus recently announced that it will re-engineer its Eletre SUV as a plug-in hybrid (PHEV). Named the Eletre X, the Anglo-Chinese brand’s flagship will deliver 745 miles of range upon hitting the showrooms later this year. Lamborghini, too is set to reposition its Lanzador EV as a plug-in hybrid.
However, Bentley insists that reworking the Luxury Urban EV’s Porsche/Audi-developed PPE platform to accommodate an internal combustion engine is not possible.
The British brand’s CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser added that putting a PHEV powertrain in its new model would create a conflict between it and future planned versions of the Bentayga, which went against the firm’s product strategy.
Bentley confirmed that it is targeting a new demographic with the yet-to-be-named EV.
Aside from the arrival date, very little is currently known about Bentley’s first EV. However, given its electric underpinnings, it is expected to share the dual-motor, four-wheel-drive (4WD) powertrain fitted to the Porsche Cayenne Electric – a car that produces up to 1,140bhp and returns 398 miles of range from its 113kWh battery.
The Bentley Luxury Urban EV will take design cues from the EXP 15 concept, which the Crewe-based carmaker unveiled last year. A daring aesthetic, the EXP 15 boasted an illuminated upright grille, which Bentley described as a piece of “digital art”.
Inside, the cabin was a symphony of high-end materials, including wood, metal, silk and wool, along with a mix of both digital and physical hardware.
Bentley has remained tight-lipped on whether the drop in demand for high-end EVs will affect its Bentley 100+ strategy, which involved building a new EV and/or PHEV each year. The plan also outlined the brand’s ambition to have a fully electrified line-up by 2035.
Alongside the Bentayga, electrified Bentley models include the Flying Spur, the Continental GT, and the Continental GT Convertible.
