Skip to main content

Will Bentley be the next VW Group brand to build an electric car?

Bentley could be the latest Volkswagen Group brand to get an electric car. While it is probably the most traditional of the VW Group brands, a new report claims Bentley is evaluating the possibility of a production electric car, taking it in the direction of other, trend-chasing luxury brands.

The British carmaker is studying the idea of an electric car, but is too early in the process to make any concrete plans, Bentley board member Rolf Frech told Australia’s Drive during the media launch of the Bentayga SUV last week. His comments indicated Bentley hasn’t made any firm decisions about the form of this potential electric car.

Recommended Videos

“I think there will be an answer within the next six months to a year to decide which direction we will go,” Frech said, “but of course electric will be a future strategy direction for Bentley.”

Frech hinted that Bentley could build an all-electric version of the EXP 10 Speed 6 concept that debuted to widespread acclaim at the 2015 Geneva Motor Show last year. However, Frech also said the electric model could be a “more traditional car.” In addition to choosing a platform, Bentley also has to allocate production capacity for another model; it’s currently ramping up production of the Bentayga, and reportedly has a new Continental GT and least one more other model queued up.

One thing that isn’t in doubt is where Bentley will get its electric powertrain components from. Frech said Bentley could borrow components from the Porsche Mission E sedan, although he noted it won’t use that car’s platform. Unveiled as a concept at the 2015 Frankfurt Motor Show, the Mission E is set to go into production before the end of the decade. It will be joined by a production version of the Audi e-tron quattro SUV concept, an electric Volkswagen Phaeton, and potentially the electric Bentley, giving VW four luxury electric models.

It’s unclear how plans for an all-electric car will affect Bentley’s previously-discussed commitment to plug-in hybrids. In 2014, Bentley unveiled the Hybrid Concept, a plug-in hybrid version of the Mulsanne. At the time, it said most of its models would eventually be offered with plug-in hybrid powertrains, starting with the Bentayga.

Stephen Edelstein
Stephen is a freelance automotive journalist covering all things cars. He likes anything with four wheels, from classic cars…
Audi’s Q6 e-tron is an electric SUV that feels refreshingly normal
2025 Audi Q6 e-tron front quarter view.

It took the established German luxury car brands a while to respond to the Tesla Model S, but Audi was quicker off the line than most. As rivals BMW and Mercedes-Benz are just now completing full lineups of EVs, Audi is moving into its next generation.

The 2025 Audi Q6 e-tron is an electric SUV aimed at the middle of the luxury market. Audi sees the Q6 e-tron as an electric equivalent to its bestselling Q5, and it faces plenty of direct competition from EVs like the Acura ZDX, Cadillac Lyriq, and Mercedes EQE SUV.

Read more
I reviewed an electric car like it was a phone, and I came to a shocking conclusion
The front of the Cupra Born VZ.

The Cupra Born VZ is not a smartphone — it’s an electric car. Yet, during my time driving it over the last five days, it has reminded me more than once about the device I spend most of my time using and reviewing.

This is not a put-down, nor is it a comment on electric versus combustion-engine vehicles, but more about how I, someone who doesn’t professionally review cars, can still easily recognize what’s good and bad about it. What’s more, the categories I usually break phone reviews down into, and the language I regularly use to talk about them, also neatly applies to the Born VZ.

Read more
Cadillac’s Vistiq is a luxury electric SUV for families
2026 Cadillac Vistiq front quarter view.

Cadillac’s electric vehicle rollout got off to a strong start with the Lyriq, but now the General Motors luxury brand is looking to tackle the all-important three-row family SUV segment with the 2026 Vistiq. As with the current gasoline XT6, Cadillac won’t be the first to market. But it hopes to compete with its own distinctive design and tech.

Arriving next year, the 2026 Cadillac Vistiq merges the slab-sided appearance of the XT6 with a new version of the front-end treatment from the Lyriq, which designers nicknamed “The Mandalorian” because of its resemblance to a certain bounty hunter’s helmet. Some tricks were applied to hide the Vistiq’s tall roof, and it has a rear-end treatment inspired by the cult classic Cadillac CTS-V wagon, but this is still a beefy-looking SUV that’s almost Escalade-like in appearance.

Read more