With the electric push in overdrive, marque brands like Bentley aren't too behind and the British carmaker is working on its new all-electric flagship. The upcoming model is expected to join the line-up in the first half of the next decade and will be automaker's first-ever electric offering. Now details of Bentley's electric flagship have emerged online, and the model will be sharing its underpinnings with the Porsche Mission E platform. Both the brand's are part of the Volkswagen Group, which allows the firms to share components, drivetrain and technology.
Bentley has already announced that it will have electric versions of its complete portfolio by 2025. The flagship electric vehicle will harness some of the developments from the upcoming Porsche Mission E, while retaining the traditional craftsmanship and superior quality synonymous with the British-brand. Speaking to Auto Express, Bentley - Design Chief, Stefan Sielaff said that that the car should be a four or five seater, and will be able to carry around a little bit of luggage as well.
Sielaff also revealed that the Bentley electric vehicle will be based on a completely new concept and will be unlike anything we've seen in the past. The automaker is convinced that the new flagship EV will definitely carry more than two seats.
(The new electric flagship offering will have a new design direction with a distinct Bentley styling)
Interestingly, Bentley won't be taking the SUV route for its four-door, four-seater EV, and instead a low-profile, four-door coupe might be the way to go for the brand. The move will help the car maker retain its distinct design language while adopting the new technology under the bodywork. That said, an EV with a less traditional Bentley body style will be aimed at newer and younger buyers, over traditional customers.
Bentley Motors gave us the first glimpse of its electrified future with the EXP12 Speed 6e concept at the 2017 Geneva Motor Show. While no technical information was revealed about the concept, the company did state at the time that the model will be able to complete the distance between London and Paris or Milan and Monaco on a single charge. This equates to about 300 km of electric range.
With respect to the power output, the Mission E platform is expected to produce up to 600 bhp and we could see Bentley producing numbers in a similar ball park. Bentley has also hinted at wireless charging for its electric vehicles in the future, considering cables and wires do not exactly go with the brand's luxury values.
The launch timeline on the flagship Bentley EV is not known yet, but it is something we do expect to see at the dawn of the next decade. The upcoming concepts from the Crewe-based manufacturer is something we will look forward to, which are expected to give a glimpse of the electrified offering.
