Bentley unveiled the Torcal in London, the first fully electric car to carry its brand, thereby adding a fourth production line alongside the Continental GT, Flying Spur, and Bentayga. The SUV is five meters long and was designed, engineered, and built at the company’s facilities in Crewe, England.
Two Versions and High Performance
Bentley is offering the car in the Torcal and Torcal S versions. The basic version produces 821 horsepower and 1,194 newton-meters of torque, accelerates from zero to 60 miles per hour in 3.3 seconds, and has a top speed of 155 miles per hour. The Torcal S produces up to 888 horsepower and 1,350 newton-meters when Launch Control is used, accelerates in 2.8 seconds, and reaches a top speed of 162 miles per hour.
Bentley says the acceleration figures were deliberately limited because most of its customers find more extreme levels uncomfortable. This differs from figures announced by former CEO Adrian Hallmark in 2022, when he spoke of 1,400 horsepower and acceleration from zero to 60 miles per hour in 1.5 seconds.
800-Volt Battery and Fast Charging
Both versions use two permanent-magnet synchronous motors, one for each axle, along with a lockable rear differential. The battery, composed of 192 pouch-type lithium-ion cells, uses an 800-volt electrical architecture and has a net capacity of 113 kilowatt-hours. Bentley covers the battery with a warranty lasting 10 years or 100,000 miles.
The claimed range reaches 375 miles, or 600 kilometers, according to the WLTP cycle, while EPA test figures have not yet been announced. Bentley states a maximum charging capacity of 400 kilowatts, with charging from 10 to 80% taking 16 minutes, and adding approximately 100 miles of range in seven minutes. However, the company’s statement says elsewhere that the process takes slightly less than 20 minutes, leaving a detail that requires clarification before the final performance can be assessed.
What Sets the In-Car Experience Apart?
The Torcal introduces fully active suspension to Bentley cars for the first time, allowing each corner to be raised or lowered independently. Four-wheel steering also comes as standard. The cabin includes curved OLED screens, a head-up display with augmented-reality technology, facial recognition for loading driver profiles, and four experience modes that adjust the lighting, sound, climate, and screens.
The car retains physical controls on the center console and steering wheel and uses an artificial sound called Bentley Dynamic Symphony, recorded with the participation of drum, viola, and bass guitar players, which can be switched off. Equipment also includes 25 radars and sensors and a camera for driver-assistance and remote-parking systems, powered doors, a glass roof with adjustable transparency, and an optional Naim sound system producing 1,780 watts through 28 speakers.
Why Does This Launch Matter?
The Torcal represents Bentley’s move from repeated promises about an electric car to an actual product within an independent production line, combining an 800-volt architecture with sporty performance and luxury equipment. However, assessing its competitiveness will remain incomplete until the company reveals the price, delivery date, EPA figures, and clarifies the discrepancy in the stated charging time. The similarity between its battery and charging figures and those of the Porsche Cayenne Electric, its sister model within the Volkswagen Group, also highlights that the key expected difference will lie in the design and luxury experience as much as in the technology.