Bentley’s first fully electric model is still scheduled to go on sale in early 2027, but its second EV won’t arrive before 2030, according to CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser.Walliser also said Bentley’s next-generation cars will have plug-in hybrid powertrains, and exclusive gas-powered cars are back on the table too.While a new Bentayga is in the works, it won’t debut until at least 2028 at the earliest, though the SUV’s new Speed variant is proving very popular.
It feels like every other day an automaker pulls the metaphorical plug on a current or future electric model. While Bentley has now confirmed that its first EV is still slated to debut later this year and go on sale sometime in early 2027, any additional electric models won’t join the party until at least the start of the next decade.
KGP Photography|Car and Driver
Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser yesterday spoke to the media about the company’s 2025 financial results. Although deliveries were down 5 percent compared with 2024, Bentley still managed to be profitable for a seventh consecutive year. Despite the good news, Walliser said that VW Group has agreed to discontinue its planned Scalable Systems Platform (SSP) because it’s not viable anymore, which effectively kills Bentley’s plans to build multiple cars, including reports of an electric sedan, on that platform.
Still, since Bentley’s first EV will use the VW Group’s Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture that also underpins models like the new Porsche Cayenne EV, its production plans are unaffected, and it will be revealed before the end of this year. However, future electric Bentley models are now in limbo. Walliser said the automaker’s second EV won’t arrive before 2030.
When the first electric Bentley hits the road sometime in early 2027, it’ll have an SUV-like shape, as confirmed by a teaser image and our spy photos. The company is also targeting the ability to add 100 miles of range in seven minutes. However, Walliser said Bentley has no plans to retrofit an internal-combustion engine or a plug-in hybrid powertrain, saying, “It’s not feasible, and it’s not part of our strategy.”
Instead, Bentley is doubling down on hybrids and plans to put plug-in hybrid powertrains in its future cars, following the new Continental GT and the Flying Spur’s PHEV conversion. Walliser said that customers have also shown renewed interest in gas-powered models, so it’s considering exclusive cars with that powertrain. Bentley’s boss also confirmed that the next-generation Bentayga, the brand’s bestselling model, will feature a new PHEV setup, though it’s too early to discuss details. While the current version is getting long in the tooth, the nameplate continues to sell well, and the recently introduced Bentayga Speed is driving interest. As for when the next-gen Bentayga will debut, Walliser said it won’t happen next year, so stay tuned.
More Bentley Stories
➡️ Skip the lot. Let Car and Driver help you find your next car.
Eric Stafford’s automobile addiction began before he could walk, and it has fueled his passion to write news, reviews, and more for Car and Driver since 2016. His aspiration growing up was to become a millionaire with a Jay Leno–like car collection. Apparently, getting rich is harder than social-media influencers make it seem, so he avoided financial success entirely to become an automotive journalist and drive new cars for a living. After earning a journalism degree at Central Michigan University and working at a daily newspaper, the years of basically burning money on failed project cars and lemon-flavored jalopies finally paid off when Car and Driver hired him. His garage currently includes a 2010 Acura RDX, a manual ’97 Chevy Camaro Z/28, and a ’90 Honda CRX Si.
