Electric ‘Bentley Luxury Urban SUV’ will ARRIVE in 2026 – but EV plans pushed back

Bentley will launch its first electric model – dubbed ‘Luxury Urban SUV’ – in 2026 but pushes back on its aim to be all BEV by 2030.

Bentley stated a few years ago that it would only be selling EVs by 2030, but as car buyers at every level of price turn their backs on EV offerings, Bentley has had to adapt.

Yes, Bentley is nodding towards full electrification with the end of the W12 and pure ICE V8 in favour of the new V8 PHEV, but it’s now saying its ‘aim’ is to be all-electric by 2035 and will continue building PHEVs until at least then.

In the time between now and 2035 (which could well shift again), Bentley is promising a ‘new’ Bentley model every year, and the first is going to be an electric ‘Luxury Urban SUV’ (imagined in the image above) which will arrive in 2026.

Bentley reckons their first EV will “‘create an entirely new segment’”, despite the fact it’s likely to look like a more compact Bentayga – but probably with more interior space – and use the same underpinnings as the new electric Porsche Macan, and with the same luxury interior and detailing as other Bentley models.

Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, CEO of Bentley, said:

Four years almost to the day that Bentley initially outlined its Beyond100 strategy, we adapt to today’s economic, market and legislative environment to initiate a major transformative phase for tomorrow. Beyond100+ becomes our guiding light as we extend our ambitions beyond 2030, while maintaining our aim of a decarbonised future, including offering only fully electric cars from 2035, and reinforcing our credentials as the British creator of extraordinary cars for over a century and beyond.