Bentley has takenthe covers off its first-ever fullyelectric car, the Torcal, making it the automaker's fourth model line, joining the Continental GT, the Flying Spur sedan, and theBentaygaSUV. The luxury brand is confident about the launch, too, with Bentley chairman and CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser saying he believes “this is one of the best Bentleys ever.”
When WIRED first reported on the carin July, we said the EV would have more than 300 miles of range. Well, turns out it has considerably more: up to 375 miles (on theWLTP cycle, maybe 330 miles on EPA), and can charge from 10 to 80 percent in just 16 minutes at 400 kilowatts.
Prodigious performance from a motor on each axle sees the five-seat Torcal—smaller than the Bentayga and so perhaps more of an urban SUV—get 888 metric horsepower (PS) and 1,350 newton-meters (Nm) of torque in the sporting S models, resulting in 0 to 60 mph in as little as 2.9 seconds and a top speed of 162 mph. The “core" model drops to 821 PS and 1,194 Nm, with standstill to 60 mph in 3.4 seconds, and a max of 155 mph.
However, luxury brands get worried about their existing client bases when they switch toelectric vehicles—look to Ferrarias a prime example—so it's no surprise that Bentley is keen to point out how this new model embodies the finest elements of the brand, just like every other high-end marque does going into electrification. “The Torcal is a Bentley first and foremost," says the launch literature. “In every aspect of its design, technology, craftsmanship, materials, and sustainability, it is a template for future Bentleys, regardless of powertrain.”
The reason for leaning into brand heritage is obvious on dealership lots. The first-ever EV Bentley will roll off the production line into a decidedly twitchy luxury auto market where Lamborghinishelved its Lanzador electric GT—with CEO Stephan Winkelmann stating demand among its buyers was “going almost to zero, if not to zero”—and Mercedes-Benz sellingjust 1,450 of its electric G Wagenin Europe through April 2025.Rolls-Royce Spectresales are down nearly by half, with the brand hoping that a model refresh will turn things around.
