Take a look inside Bentley's first EV a year ahead of when you were meant to… – Car Magazine
► Interior of first Bentley EV scooped
► ‘Urban SUV’ will sit beneath Bentayga
► Reveal planned in 2026 ahead of 2027 launch
Bentley’s first battery-electric car is still some way off, but our spy photographers have captured images of the new car’s interior – around a year ahead of when you were meant to see it.
The brand, like many others, is in the middle of its winter testing procedures in Scandinavia, putting its ‘Urban SUV’ through its paces ahead of its reveal toward the end of 2026. As well as spotting the car’s general shape, the biggest news is a glimpse inside the new electric car.
As well as fine leather upholstery and a familiar Bentley steering wheel, some new Volkswagen Group parts can be seen. The biggest news is that the Urban SUV will use the same curved infotainment screen as the new electric Cayenne – a display that starts vertical with the dashboard but then slopes down in one continuous panel into the centre console.
This makes sense, given the fact the Bentley SUV will use the same Premium Platform Electric (PPE) architecture as the Cayenne, as well as cars like the Audi Q6 e-Tron. There’s an Audi link in there, too; spotted the indicator and shifter stalks jutting out of the steering column? They’re very much like the new ones that launched with the Audi Q3 and have since been rolled out to the latest versions of cars like the A5, Q5 and Q6.
On top of that, we can see elements of the production car’s lighting, which looks very much like those seen on the Batur.
Given how successful the Bentayga has been for Bentley, it was only natural that the firm’s first electric model would also be an SUV.
Set to slot beneath the Bentayga in terms of pricing and sizing, it’s being billed as an ‘urban electric SUV’ on account of Bentley’s definition of a town car being less than five metres long. Yes, really.
Frank-Steffen Walliser, CEO of Bentley, has previously told us the as-yet-unnamed model will offer “something new to the Bentley world, and will not replace a car – it’s an additional new, exciting Bentley”.
Bentley’s first electric model will use the shared Volkswagen Group’s PPE (premium platform electric) underpinnings, though it’s expected to be far closer to the new Porsche Cayenne Electric than it is to the smaller Macan EV.
Porsche says it’s made so many changes to the PPE setup for the Cayenne EV that it’s practically a new platform, and has previously said it would charge others for using it as a result, not least Bentley.
If it’s to use the Cayenne’s powertrains, it will use an 108kWh usable battery with various dual-motor configurations available. In the case of the Porsche, top-spec Turbo models are expected to produce more than 1,000bhp.
While still wearing thick camouflage, there’s no arguing it’s a Bentley with the huge round headlights. Around the rear, it also gets the firm’s renowned oval LEDs.
Though Bentley has done its best to disguise the car with additional panelling beneath the camo, the overall profile isn’t too far removed from the images we’ve seen of the Cayenne Electric so far. It’s also expected to carry over details from Bentley’s bold EXP 15 concept car, revealed earlier in 2025.
Walliser is clear that this new model will “attract new customers who would have never considered a Bentley” and it’s expected to arrive with a price undercutting everything Bentley currently sells – its Bentayga starts from around £160,000.
He also anticipates it being a big money maker, expecting it to be as profitable as the old flagship Mulsanne.
Bentley is in the process of repurposing one of its existing buildings at its factory in Crewe in preparation for the production of its electric SUV.
Walliser previously confirmed that the car would be ‘shown to media in Q2 2026’ but that first customers will not get their cars until the first quarter of 2027. We’ll continue to update this story as we know more.
New cars editor, car reviewer, news hound, avid car detailer
With contributions from
Jake Groves News Editor
By Ted Welford and Jake Groves
© 1962-2025 Bauer Media Group
Bauer Media Group consists of: Bauer Consumer Media Ltd, Company number 01176085; Bauer Radio Limited,
Company number: 1394141; Registered office: Media House, Peterborough Business Park, Lynch Wood, Peterborough PE2 6EA and H Bauer Publishing, Company number: LP003328;
Registered office: The Lantern, 75 Hampstead Road, London NW1 2PL
All registered in England and Wales. VAT no 918 5617 01
H Bauer Publishing are authorised and regulated for credit broking by the FCA (Ref No: 845898)
