Bentley enters the electric era with Torcal

News

Crewe’s first electric car promises 375 miles of range, limo-like comfort and 0-62mph in under 3 seconds

MA

Matt Allan

24 September 2026 · 4 min read

Bentley has revealed its first ever electric model, the Torcal, claiming to offer limousine comfort and grand tourer dynamics in an SUV packing up to 876bhp.

Set to cost from around £173,000, the Torcal will go head-to-head with the Range Rover Electric when production begins in Crewe in early 2027.

Rather than a replacement for an existing model, Bentley says the Torcal is the first in a fourth model line. It will be the brand’s only EV this decade after it scrapped plans to go all-electric by 2030.

Bentley Torcal powertrain and chassis

The Torcal will be launched in two trim levels – a core model and a sportier S version.

Both use a two-motor setup with a 113kWh battery. Core models produce a healthy 810bhp and 880lb ft, while the S produces up to 876bhp and 996lb ft with launch control activated.

In core versions, the Bentley Torcal will go from 0-62mph in 3.3 seconds, while the S model cuts that to just 2.9 seconds. Apparently, Bentley customers find anything more extreme than this “uncomfortable”, so the powertrain has been set up deliberately to be accessible and progressive. We reckon a sub-three-second run to 62 in an SUV that must weigh more than 2.5-tonnes is plenty “progressive” enough.

Accompanying the impressive acceleration is a “propulsion sound” inspired by the Bentley 6.75-litre V8 and recorded with real musicians. As standard, the Torcal features 420mm iron brakes up front and 370mm units at the rear. These can be upgraded to 440mm/410mm carbon ceramic units for even more stopping power.

Beyond all the power and pace, Bentley says the Torcal is as comfortable as a Flying Spur, and as dynamic as a Continental GT Speed. It’s the first Bentley ever to feature active adaptive damping, with two-valve dampers and a range of chassis tunes linked to drive modes. This system is sophisticated enough that the Torcal can operate without the active anti-roll bars of the Porsche Cayenne, with which it shares its PPE platform. It also brings all-wheel-steering for a more agile feel and better low-speed manoeuvrability.

The 113kWh battery is good for up to 375 miles of range on a charge and, thanks to 400kW peak DC charging, can go from 10-80% in just 16 minutes. Adding 100 miles of range should take as little as seven minutes.

Bentley Torcal design

At a “mere” five metres long, the Torcal is the shortest car in the Bentley line-up, and almost identical in size to the Range Rover Electric. Its external design is intended to usher in a more modern era that maintains links with Bentley’s past.

The most obvious indication of that is the massive grille. Designed to echo the front of classic Bentleys such as the Continental T, this huge illuminated panel features a diamond motif that is echoed around the car. The rest of the car’s shape continues the idea of “upright elegance” with simple surfaces, sharp vertical lines and a simple rear design with slimline lights forming part of a new “prestigious shield” at the rear.

Inside, the Torcal blends a very modern curved OLED touchscreen, digital dials and augmented reality HUD with traditional design and materials. There’s a blend of haptic and physical controls and a modern take on the famous bullseye air vents.

Traditional materials such as wood and leather are joined by more modern finishes including a new aluminium trim and Merino wool – an automotive first. Bentley is also making nods to sustainability with a new walnut veneer formed from off-cuts and recycled paper.

Bentley says the Torcal offers comfort for five passengers, with a 490-litre boot and 90-litre frunk.

Those in the front get 16-way adjustable massage seats as standard, with the Postural Adjust and Smart Seat Climate systems as options, which can adjust the seats position and heating/cooling to aid comfort on long journeys.

Martin Page, product line director for the Bentley Torcal, commented: “The Torcal represents something new, and I think unique. It has been engineered with great care to ensure it remains a Bentley to its core, enhanced rather than dominated by technology – from luxury, to refinement and effortless performance – the Torcal has taken the elements that define a Bentley to extraordinary new levels.”