Green light for electric Bentley sports car

Bentley EV

Boss says 600bhp 4WD model will make production

BENTLEY has confirmed that it’ll build a new, fully electric sports car, which will arrive towards the end of the decade. The model will form the marque’s fifth product line, and has been favoured over an extra, smaller SUV that was also on the table.

The EXP12 Speed 6e concept (above), which was revealed earlier this year, previewed design cues we could well see on a future electric Bentley. Speaking last week at the Frankfurt Motor Show, CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer said: “At present, a smaller SUV is not in the plan any more, and we favour a car with a full electric drivetrain. This is the direction we’re heading.” The new Bentley EV is understood to be several years away from production, but Dürheimer confirmed that it’ll be based on the same J1 platform that will underpin Porsche’s upcoming Mission E saloon, and will be 4WD.

It’s not yet known what bodystyle the EV will adopt: a more compact two-door model or a larger four-door. What we do know is that the EV will have “around 600bhp” and will “go 450-500km (up to 310 miles) without being recharged”.

However, the EV won’t be the manufacturer’s first venture into the world of electrification. Dürheimer told Auto Express: “We intend to be the leader in electrification in the luxury segment – it fits with the Bentley motoring scheme.

“The first car that we’ll introduce will be the Bentayga with a V6 plug-in hybrid. This powertrain will also be brought into the Continental and Flying Spur.” The plug-in hybrid powertrain is likely to be adopted from the new Porsche Panamera, and comprise a 2.9-litre turbocharged V6 and an electric motor. In its current state of tune, the powertrain develops 456bhp.

The roll-out of EV technology at Bentley is part of the VW Group’s wider plan to have 50 fully electric and 30 plugin hybrid vehicles on sale by 2025 across its eight different brands.

“Luxury and performance are not going to stop with electric drivetrains,” Dürheimer told Auto Express. “To our customer base we say, ‘We have a good answer, don’t worry about it’.”

Electric car to have around 600bhp Set to use 4WD Porsche platform News