Bentley Finally Gets into the EV Game with the New Torcal, a Boldly Styled Electric SUV for Wealthy FolksCar and DriverEric StaffordWed, September 23, 2026 at 6:15 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleRevealed! Bentley Pulls the Covers off Its First EVBentleyThe 2028 Bentley Torcal debuts as the 107-year-old luxury brand's first-ever EV.The boldly styled electric SUV features a dual-motor powertrain with up to 876 horsepower, which Bentley claims will send the Torcal to 60 mph in 2.8 seconds.Bentley hasn't yet released U.S. pricing, but when the Torcal goes on sale here early next year, it'll start under $230,000.Bentley has been building cars for over a century, but it took the British brand 107 years to build its first EV. It's called the Torcal [pronounced tohr-KAHL], and like some other Bentleys, such as the Bentayga SUV, the debut electric model is named after another stunning natural landmark, the picturesque El Torcal de Antequera rock formation in Spain. Small talk aside, the 2028 Bentley Torcal is a big deal for a company that caters to wealthy folks and competes with prestigious rivals such as Rolls-Royce.The Torcal Breaks from TraditionIt's hard to get a sense of the Torcal's size from photos alone, but we got to see two distinct models in person at Bentley's HQ in Crewe, England, and we can confirm that it has a lot of stage presence. Along with a roofline that's two inches lower than the Bentayga, the over 16-foot-long SUV has a long dash-to-axle ratio and a square-jawed front end that flows into muscular bodywork that looks strong and sophisticated but not shouty. The rectangular headlights divert from the brand's old quad-pod design, and this humble scribe thinks they give off Arnage vibes.BentleyThe illuminated diamond-pattern "grille" will likely be divisive, but the in-person version looks more ornate than the photos, and Bentley says it was inspired by the Continental T. The Torcal's chiseled rump is more visually unifying and inspired by the EXP 15 concept, with wide haunches, a canted rear window, and thin taillights that tie in the diamond motif. Notably, the Torcal is also the first production model to wear Bentley's recently redesigned emblem.AdvertisementAdvertisementAlong with the core model (pictured in Astro silver), there's a more sport-oriented S variant that ditches the former's shiny exterior trim for black bits and rolls on larger standard wheels (22 versus 21 inches). Bentley will also offer several different wheel designs in those two sizes; both all-season and summer tires will be available too. Every Torcal benefits from a fully active suspension with electrically driven hydraulic pumps that help the dampers control pitch and roll. The hefty SUV's handling and maneuverability is aided by standard rear-axle steering. Stopping power is handled by beefy brakes, with Bentley offering a set of carbon-silicon-carbide rotors measuring 17.1 inches up front and 16.1 inches out back (just like on the track-ready Supersports).BentleyWhile the core model and the Torcal S both feature a dual-motor all-wheel-drive powertrain, they each have different power figures. The standard model packs 810 horsepower and 881 pound-feet of torque, while the S jumps to 876 horses and 996 pound-feet. Not only are both EVs the most powerful production cars Bentley has ever built, but they're also the quickest, with the Torcal S claimed to hit 60 mph in 2.8 seconds.The Bentley's bones are shared with the Porsche Cayenne Electric, which has been a tour de force in our testing. Both electric SUVs share a 119.0-inch wheelbase and an 800-volt electrical architecture, including a 108-kWh battery pack. The U.S.-spec Torcal will feature a standard NACS charge port for DC fast-charging, and Bentley says a 400-kW connection will allow the SUV to charge from 10 to 80 percent in about 16 minutes (adding 100 miles of range should only take around seven minutes). As for total range, we're still waiting for the Torcal to get certified by the EPA, but our preliminary estimates suggest it'll be able to travel up to around 320 miles on a full charge.BentleyAn Elegant and Theatrical InteriorInside, the Torcal's hand-crafted materials are how you know you're not in a Cadillac or a lesser luxury car. Bentley's familiar "winged" dashboard design lives on in the EV SUV, but we're disappointed that it's devoid of the brand's classic organ-stop plungers. We also wish top-shelf luxury carmakers would eschew digital gauges in favor of analog pieces—like how a Rolex's mechanical face looks way more special than an Apple watch's generic display. But we digress, the Torcal's cabin is still appropriately elegant and theatrical.AdvertisementAdvertisementThere are more diamond-themed details on the switchgear, and we appreciate that Bentley didn't ditch hard knobs and buttons. The tech suite includes automatic facial recognition, a curved OLED touchscreen cribbed from the Cayenne Electric, a 28-speaker Naim sound system, and one of the more visually interesting ambient lighting presentations that we've seen. Front passengers are treated to 16-way power-adjustable seats with heated, ventilated, and massaging cushions. The back row has three seats and a power-folding mechanism for the first time in a Bentley.BentleyThe Torcal features Bentley's first dimmable panoramic sunroof, and it opens too. You may have also noticed there's no trendy passenger-facing screen. That's because the designers don't believe it adds the same value as its high-end materials. And speaking of new materials, Bentley says its EV debuts 100 percent merino wool that's the first application robust enough for automotive use. While power-opening and -closing doors aren't unheard off, they only help make the Torcal feel like a six-figure car. All four doors can be activated in multiple ways, and they have sensors to prevent a costly door ding, though they obviously don't control other cars' doors, so publicly park accordingly.Finally, Bentley did a lot of research deciding what its first electric vehicle should sound like. Should it imitate a V-8? No, because it's not authentic for an EV. A sci-fi soundtrack also didn't fit.Instead, Bentley went with a drum-beat-inspired audio experience, one that replicates the imperfections of a combustion engine's firing order.A single rear-mounted external speaker lets bystanders hear the unique melody. Like the faux engine noise, all synthetic sounds in the Torcal were recorded from nature.Bentley says the Torcal will go on sale in the U.S. sometime early next year as a 2028 model.And while final pricing is TBD, we're told the brand's first electric model will cost less than the Bentayga, which currently starts around $230,000.➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.Shop New Cars Shop Used CarsYou Might Also LikeGift Guide: Best Ride-On Electric Cars for KidsFuture Cars Worth Waiting For: 2025–2029
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