The Bentley Torcal Marks the Automaker’s Grand Electric Debut With Nearly 1000 LB-FT of TorqueRoad & TrackMike DuffWed, September 23, 2026 at 6:15 PM UTCAdd us on GoogleBentley Torcal Is an 875-HP Electric SUV StatementBentleyMuch has changed since Bentley announced, six years ago, that it was planning an aggressive electrification strategy that would see its entire portfolio become EV by the end of this decade. That deadline has long been abandoned, with Bentley now planning to make combustion models, most of them hybridized, for as long as it is able to do so. But despite delays, and some radical changes to the original concept, the brand has also created its first fully electric vehicle, the Torcal SUV, which you are seeing here in production spec for the first time.The Torcal is far removed from Bentley's first EV concept, the 2019 EXP100 GT that was a sleek, low-riding two-door coupe. The company subsequently worked on what would have been an electric SUV coupe with Continental styling cues, a direction hinted at by last year's EXP15 concept. But the finished car is less radical—a four-door SUV that is lower and shorter than the existing Bentayga. We don't have finalized pricing yet, but based on Bentley's estimate of a low-$200,000 starting point, it is also likely to be the most affordable model in the range when sales begin next year.BentleyDimensionally, the Torcal's 196.2-inch overall length is closer to the Continental GT's 192.6 inches than the regular-wheelbase Bentayga's 201.8 inches. The Torcal sits on a 119.0-inch wheelbase is identical to that of the Porsche Cayenne Electric it shares its platform with, the two cars also using much of the same technology.AdvertisementAdvertisementBentley will offer two versions initially—the Torcal and the Torcal S—with both driving all wheels via a motor at each axle and using the same battery pack as the Cayenne EV. This has a 113-kWh total capacity with 108 kWh usable and runs at a punchy 800 volts, which Bentley says will support DC fast-charging at rates of up to 400 kW, the same as the Porsche. That gives the theoretical possibility of a 10-percent-to-80-percent charge in as little as 16 minutes, under optimal conditions. We don't have any EPA range predictions yet, but the claimed 375-mile European figure will translate to over 300 miles.BentleyDespite the shared architecture, neither Torcal will match the peak 1139-hp output of the Cayenne Electric Turbo. Bentley says the regular Torcal will produce peaks of 809 hp and 880 lb-ft of torque, and the Torcal S increases those to 875 hp and 995 lb-ft when using a special launch control mode. The company is predicting a 3.4-second 0-60 mile-per-hour time for the Torcal and a 2.9-second time for the Torcal S—the latter being one tenth slower than the time our Hearst Autos colleagues at Car and Driver extracted for the plug-in hybrid Continental GT Speed. Top speeds are 155 mph for the regular car and 162 mph for the S. You can be a little surprised if, on the test track, the Torcal S doesn't prove to be the fastest-accelerating Bentley road car so far.Other technology brought from the Cayenne EV includes Bentley's version of Porsche's Active Ride system, this using hydraulic force to counter body roll rather than any physical sway bars. This will apparently allow the Torcal to corner harder than any other four-door Bentley, but the system has been tuned to deliver refinement and comfort as well as ultimate pace. Unlike the Porsche, the Torcal won't be able to counter-lean into corners like a motorcycle. It also gets active rear steering as standard.BentleyDesign plays on many Bentley themes, but adds to them as well. As with many other large EVs, the front end graphic relies heavily on what is, in effect, a non-functional "grille," this containing diamond-shaped illuminated elements behind a clear cover—something that was previewed on the EXP15. At the rear it gets a shield-shaped graphic within the tailgate, one that looks a little similar to the treatment of the current Range Rover, and also the Aston Martin Vanquish. Seen the flesh at Bentley's Crewe factory the Torcal has definite presence, but it doesn't look obviously like a Bentley on first impressions.AdvertisementAdvertisementAs you would expect, luxury features abound. The "First Edition" Torcal S will get power-opening doors as standard, these being an option on lesser versions, with the ability to open all four simultaneously for a show-stopping arrival. The charging ports on each side—one for low-speed, one for high-speed—are also motor-operated. More attention can be grabbed with projectors that can give animated light displays on the ground when the doors are opened.BentleyTo no surprise, the Torcal's interior is much more digital and screen-heavy than the brand's other models. The cabin features a large, curved central touchscreen similar to the one in the Cayenne Electric, although Bentley engineers were quick to point out it is not a shared part and is unique to the car. At least there isn't a separate display screen for the front seat passenger, who will instead get the chance to admire the quality of the dashboard trim.The presence of a fully digital instrument screen is a little disappointing. Luxury makers have been dropping hints about a partial return to analog dials recently; the Torcal would have been a wonderfully incongruous place to find some old-fashioned technology. The driver's display features crisp graphics including a rendered speedometer "dial" modeled by light passing through a crystal glass. (Oh, and the first time an owner drives their car each day, an animation of a butler's hand placing this glass onto the screen plays.) Like the Cayenne Electric, the Bentley has dashboard air vents that require their position to be adjusted on the central touch screen, denying the feel of Bentley's traditional metal vents and their "organ stop" controls.Bentley has already given details about some of the sounds the naturally silent Torcal will make, including a pseudo-engine noise made by a human drummer replicating the beat of a V-8 engine, a turn signal noise that is a recording of a leatherworking hammer, and the sound of a finger around the rim of a wineglass when the onboard digital assistant is summoned. Drive modes are also designed for moods as well as altered dynamic behavior, with the list being Welcome, Energize, Bentley, Sport, Comfort and Refresh.AdvertisementAdvertisementAlthough not the largest Bentley, the Torcal is set to be one of the heaviest. The considerable 1375-pound mass of the battery pack is one of the main reasons for what Bentley says is a 6150-pound curb weight—that's more than 600 pounds heavier than the Continental GT Speed with its hefty plug-in hybrid powertrain. But the Bentley's mass isn't exceptionally egregious in this heavyweight part of the market; in fact, it is slightly lighter than the Volvo EX90.BentleyThe world has changed considerably since Bentley announced its plans for a fully electric future. The brand seemed to be ahead of the curve back in 2020, but the Torcal now looks like an outlier in the ultra-luxury segment, especially after Aston Martin and Lamborghini cancelled their EV programs. But Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser is adamant that this was the right call.Bentley"Timing-wise, I would say to come the market in 2027 is way better than to come to the market in 2022 or 2023, even 2025," he told Road & Track while speaking at the carmaker's Crewe headquarters. "The market is more established, and this is a lower entry price for Bentley—we are lowering the barrier to join Bentley."Indeed, even if he had a time machine, Walliser insists that a pure EV was the right decision for the brand right now. "I would not change it for a plug-in hybrid," he said; "the time machine, I would not apply to this car. But on the Bentayga, I would like to have a V-8 plug-in hybrid. That is the missing piece."You Might Also LikeIf You Can Only Own One Car, Make It One of TheseThese Are the Most Popular Cars by State