The Intertubes are blowing up with news that Bentley Motors will unveil its forthcoming Torcal electric car on September 23, at a Bentley-level price. That’s quite a turn in the opposite direction from US automakers, which are scrambling to introduce some degree of affordability into their zero emission lineups. Still, Bentley’s interest in the all-electric experience is another signal that the US market is still ripe for the picking, despite last year’s sharp downturn among domestic EV makers. Whatever Happened To Bentley’s First Electric Car? Some Bentley followers are billing the Torcal as the company’s first electric car, but that depends on your definition of electric. Bentley has been pitching EVs since 2018 in the form of plug-in hybrids, showcased by its Bentayga SUV. In 2022 the company also teased word of an all-electric EV to be produced in 2025 (here are some more details). While that was percolating, in 2023 Bentley lent its seal of approval to the “Blower Jnr” project under the wing of The Little Car Company, with the aim of re-creating the iconic 4.5-liter Supercharger Team Car No. 2 Bentley of 1929 with a 15-kilowatt electric motor on board. In a press statement announcing the launch, Bentley reminded everyone that the Blower Jnr is designed for street use, unlike LCC’s other vehicles. Bentley further notes that the charging port, electric motor, and other electric car giveaways are carefully designed around the look and feel of a classic gasmobile worthy of the Bentley name. “At the front of the car, the supercharger now houses the charging port that connects the onboard charger to any Type 1 or Type 2 socket. It’s surrounded by the famous Bentley mesh grille, in an authentic nickel-plated radiator housing,” Bentley explains. “Crafted by hand to the same standards as any Bentley, and adorned with beautiful details all inspired by the original Team car, Blower Jnr is built around a 48V electric powertrain with a 15 kW (20 bhp) motor, meaning a top speed of 45 mph / 72 km/h in the UK and EU (25 mph / 40 km/h in the USA due to legislation) and an expected range of around 65 miles, with tandem seating for two adults,” the company elaborates. Interested? The plan is to limit production to 349 units globally. Find out more here. Here Comes The Second Bentley Electric Car With all this in the background, the Torcal stands as Bentley’s first all-electric car produced without a partner such as The Little Car Company. As part of the Volkswagen Group, Bentley availed itself of the same electrified platform used by its sister automaker, Porsche, in the Cayenne. The automaker also with added some touches from another VW sibling, Audi. In contrast to the Blower, the Torcal represents a purposefully practical approach to zero emission mobility. The Torcal SUV is scaled for city use, and the company has armed its dealer network with verbiage accordingly. “As Bentley prepares to reveal the Torcal on September 23, this historic first Bentley EV will introduce a smaller, all-electric SUV positioned below the gas-powered Bentayga while carrying forward Bentley craftsmanship, luxury, and performance,” explains the firm Bentley of Rancho Mirage in California. “The Bentayga remains Bentley’s larger gas and hybrid luxury SUV, while the Torcal introduces a new electric alternative designed for modern urban driving, quick acceleration, and refined everyday usability,” BRM adds. “Compared to the current Bentayga, the Torcal is expected to be shorter and lower-slung. That smaller footprint should make it easier to drive in city traffic and tight parking areas while still offering the comfort and refinement expected from Bentley,” the dealer adds again for good measure. Another Day, Another Electric Car In The US Market Evidently Trump’s tariff wars have not dissuaded Bentley from offering the Torcal in the US. Interested parties can join the waitlist, Trump or no Trump. In the meantime, the ride-along reviews are in. Last week, Motor Trend went for a ride in a meticulously camouflaged prototype Torcal, drawing attention to the Bentley-worthy details including a compellingly realistic powertrain soundtrack that mimics a Bentley 6.75-liter V-8, recorded not from an real engine but from real musicians on actual instruments. The car also impressed Car and Driver, which notes that the ask will start at $230,150 this year, with 2028 models delivered to well-heeled US buyers early next year. The Drive cut straight to the mustard with a general observation about the compatibility of lux mobility with electric cars. “They’re naturally silent, eerily smooth, and eminently capable of delivering bursts of extreme performance that keep them interesting enough for passers-by to gaze enviously in their direction,” notes The Drive reporter Byron Hurd. Of course, Bentley being Bentley, the devil is in the details. Households on a budget can choose from a growing list of affordably priced electric cars, with Ford’s forthcoming Fathom pickup truck among those in production soon. In contrast, Bentley tells a hand-crafted story that you won’t get from, say, from Slate Auto. For the Torcal, Bentley has added some new tools to its luxury toolkit, with new Merino wool flannel joining its signature leather and wood stylings. “Bentley has partnered with Fox Brothers, the renowned Somerset cloth maker that has been weaving fine wool fabrics since the 18th century, to create an entirely new material specifically for Torcal,” the automaker explains. “The collaboration resulted in the world’s first 100 per cent Merino wool automotive fabric capable of meeting the exacting demands of a luxury vehicle,” Bentley adds, while also pointing out that its flannel rates a 100% certification from the global Responsible Wool Standard. Bentley also stepped up its sustainability game with a new walnut veneer, elaborately produced with up to 1,000 layers of pre-consumer recycled walnut wood and recycled paper, then sliced to the appropriate thin-ness. In addition to attracting new drivers to the Bentley experience, the company is also pitching the electric car experience to existing Bentley fans. Taking a step beyond the company’s suite of adjustable features, Bentley has developed something called the “Curation Engine” for the Torcal, featuring four holistic experience modes. “Rather than adjusting individual features, it transforms the atmosphere of the entire cabin. Light, sound, climate, air quality and digital information work together in harmony, creating four distinct environments designed to support different moods, moments and states of mind,” Bentley states, listing Bentley Mode, Comfort Mode, Sport Mode and Refresh Mode. Too much? Not enough? Just enough to knock Tesla’s refreshed Roadster out of the box with something both sporty and practical and luxurious, too? Speaking of the Tesla Roadster, keep an eye on Virginia, where the UK startup RBW Eelctric Cars is planning a factory for an electric two-seater of its own, starting at $139,000 with the GT model aiming for $151,000. The ground-breaking took place last year and I’ve reached out to the company for an update, so stay tuned for more on that. Image: Bentley is aiming to attract urban drivers with the new Torcal SUV, its first ever 100% electric car produced in-house, sprinkled lavishly with high end pixie dust and extreme Bentley-ness (Torcal interior cropped, courtesy of Bentley). , d
