Bentley to build first electric car in Britain: Pricing and details
Key Points
- Bentley revealed the Torcal, its first fully electric car, on 23 September
- Prices start at £173,300 for the standard model and £199,300 for the S
- Range reaches 375 miles, with 10% to 80% charging in 16 minutes
- Bentley builds the car in Crewe after a £350 million factory upgrade
- First customer deliveries are expected in the second quarter of 2027
Bentley unveiled the Torcal, its first fully electric car, in London on Wednesday (23 September) with a starting price of £173,300.
The Torcal will enter production at Bentley’s Crewe plant by the end of the year. The carmaker spent £350 million adapting the site to build electric and petrol models on the same line.
The Department for Business and Trade said the investment supports around 4,000 existing jobs at the Crewe factory.
The Torcal becomes Bentley’s fourth model line alongside the Continental GT, Flying Spur and Bentayga. It does not replace any of the brand’s existing cars.
The standard Torcal costs £173,300, and the sportier Torcal S starts at £199,300. Both undercut the Bentayga, Bentley’s cheapest existing model at £181,365.
Bentley offers both versions with two electric motors, all-wheel drive and a 113kWh battery, of which 108kWh is usable. The standard car produces around 810hp and reaches 60mph in 3.4 seconds.
The Torcal S produces 876hp and completes the same sprint in 2.9 seconds, or 2.8 seconds with launch control. Bentley said the S delivers more torque than any Bentley it has ever built.
The standard Torcal offers up to 375 miles of range on the WLTP test cycle, while the more powerful S manages slightly less.
The car runs on an 800-volt system that supports charging at up to 400kW. At that speed, the battery charges from 10% to 80% in 16 minutes, and seven minutes of charging adds around 100 miles of range.
The Torcal uses the Volkswagen Group’s Premium Platform Electric, which it shares with the Porsche Cayenne Electric. The car measures five metres long, around 135mm shorter than the Bentayga, and includes storage space under the bonnet.
Bentley added several new features to the cabin and driving experience, including:
- What it called the world’s first 100% Merino wool automotive fabric
- A walnut veneer pressed from up to 1,000 thin layers of wood off-cuts
- Fully active suspension for ride comfort
- A driving soundtrack built from recordings of live drums, viola and bass guitar, which responds to speed and driver input
Bentley expects first customer deliveries in the second quarter of 2027.
The Torcal arrives a year later than Bentley originally planned. The company pushed its target for an all-electric range from 2030 to 2035 and now plans a new generation of plug-in hybrids to meet demand for petrol power.
The Torcal will be the only fully electric car Bentley launches this decade.
“The Torcal is a Bentley first and foremost, but it is also a powerful statement about our confidence in Britain as a centre of design, engineering and manufacturing excellence,” said Frank-Steffen Walliser, chairman and CEO of Bentley Motors.
The government counted Bentley’s investment alongside £500 million from McLaren and £170 million from Nissan. The three announcements took UK automotive investment to £1.02 billion between 16 and 23 September.
“Bentley’s investment will support 4,000 high-value local jobs in Crewe, combining advanced electric vehicle technology with UK craftsmanship,” said Jonathan Reynolds, Business Secretary.
