Bentley, the famous British carmaker, has announced a delay in the launch of its first-ever electric car. Initially set to debut in 2025, the release has been postponed to 2026, as reported by Automotive News Europe.
Adrian Hallmark, Bentley’s CEO, confirmed the news, assuring everyone that the delay would only be for a “few months.” He explained that while the unveiling would still happen in 2025, the car wouldn’t be available for purchase until the following year. Hallmark also clarified that this delay is unrelated to the software problems faced by Bentley’s parent company, Volkswagen AG.
“We don’t have an electrified Bentley right now because current technology can’t give us what we need or what our customers want for it to be a true Bentley,” Bentley’s chief communications and diversity and inclusion officer, Wayne Bruce, told CarExpert.
“That Spectre is an amazing car, but realistically, it’s only got about a 250-mile range (404km), and we’ve always said our BEVs need to have the equivalent range of our ICE cars, but we’re also in no hurry.
“Nevertheless, you will see the first fully electric Bentley in 2026. It will be a unique car and bear no relationship with the current models and it’s well under development.”
Hallmark acknowledged the difficulties in creating Bentley’s first electric vehicle, mentioning the need for new types of preparation work. He said, “We are in the middle of that process, which is demanding because we have to do pre-development work that we never did with previous programs.”
2026 Bentley EV Specs (Speculated)
| Motor | Dual-Electric Motors |
| Horsepower | Est. 1,400 horses |
| Torque | TBD |
| Battery | 1000kW |
| Range | 350–450 miles |
| MSRP | Est. $250,000 |
Contrary to earlier beliefs that Bentley’s first electric car would be an SUV, reports now suggest it will be a coupé. Though details are limited, it’s expected to have an impressive horsepower 1,400 horsepower (1,044 kilowatts) and will be capable of accelerating from 0 to 60 mph in as little as 1.5 seconds. and cost over $250,000 for at least one version.
In an interview with Automotive News, the executive said the brutality of acceleration will not define the car, with the main attribute of the new EV rather being its “effortless overtaking performance from a huge amount of torque on demand.”(via insideevs)
Bentley hasn’t commented on the delay despite requests for a statement, leaving fans eager for more updates on the car’s development.
With rivals like Rolls-Royce making progress in electric vehicles, Bentley faces pressure to keep up. Rolls-Royce recently announced that its first electric car, the Spectre coupé, has entered advanced testing stages, hinting at an upcoming launch.
Despite the delay, Bentley reassures everyone that its ambitious $3 billion plan to shift towards electric vehicles remains on track. Two years ago, Bentley pledged to sell only plug-in hybrid and electric cars by 2026, aiming for a fully electric lineup by 2030. While the first electric model’s debut is postponed, Bentley remains committed to embracing the electric future of cars.
