Yahoo Autos Bentley's First EV Will Be a 'Luxury Urban SUV,' Debuts in 2026
Bentley is officially planning to reveal a new electric SUV – which will also be its first electric vehicle entirely – in 2026. In fact, according to the brand, this first EV from the Flying B will create an entirely new segment of automobile.
Of course, that’s Bentley being a touch dramatic about the vehicle: the new “segment” under question is the “Luxury Urban SUV,” as Bentley puts it. What does that mean? Well, Bentley doesn’t exactly define it, but we’re interpreting it as a very fancy sport-utility vehicle meant to thrive in urban environments. Taking your electric Bentley SUV on a road trip would inevitably involve spending a half hour-plus sitting around a Walmart parking lot, which just isn’t a particularly luxurious activity.
Bentley also provided a preview illustration of the upcoming LUSUV's silhouette in the brand's November 7th announcement. While it doesn't reveal much, the lines look sharper than the slightly droopy Bentayga, with dramatic rear fender flares and a long, strong hood (which, hopefully, will contain a frunk).
This mystery vehicle doesn’t have an on-sale date yet, but a reveal is scheduled for the 2026 calendar year — which means it’s reasonable to assume the car will be on the road come 2027 or 2028. Elsewhere in the Volkswagen Group, Porsche is planning for its electric Cayenne and mystery three-row SUV to come out in the mid-to-late 2020s, as well. Could either of those ride on the same platform, and/or be very similar underneath to the Bentley, in much the way the Continental GT and Flying Spur share Panamera bones? We wouldn’t be surprised, was considering the timing.
In the same announcement, Bentley also revealed some specifics for its future-facing “Beyond100+” plan for the business; it says it will reveal a new plug-in hybrid or EV every year until the latter date. The ultimate goal is to only be producing electric cars from 2035 onward, so expect PHEVs like the new Continental GT Speed Hybrid to last at least another 10 years in the Bentley lineup.
You Might Also Like
