Bentley's debut EV won't be re-engineered to fit ICE powertrains

British luxury marque Bentley has committed to a solely electric powertrain for its upcoming debut EV, confirming that its underlying platform will not be re-engineered to offer combustion-powered variants down the line. This affirmation comes in the wake of rival brand Lotus launching a plug-in hybrid version of the Eletre luxury SUV, which was initially available only as an EV.

1. Bentley’s upcoming debut electric SUV dubbed the ‘Luxury Urban EV’
2. CEO confirms “no intention” to offer Luxury Urban EV with ICE, PHEV powertrains
3. Bentayga PHEV seen as combustion-powered alternative to Luxury Urban EV

Upcoming Bentley EV to remain electric-only

It will be underpinned by a derivative of VW’s PPE architecture

Bentley has been working on its inaugural electric car – dubbed the ‘Luxury Urban EV’ –  for quite some time, with a formal debut scheduled for the second half of 2026. The Luxury Urban EV is touted as an all-electric SUV underpinned by an offshoot of the Volkswagen Group’s PPE (Premium Platform Electric) skateboard.

The Bentley Luxury Urban EV will butt heads with the likes of the Porsche Cayenne Electric, Lotus Eletre, the upcoming Range Rover Electric, and even an upcoming electric SUV from Rolls-Royce. However, where Lotus recently began offering a PHEV version of the Eletre in response to waning buyer interest in the luxury EV space, Bentley has confirmed no such plans for the Luxury Urban EV.

Bentley CEO rules out future ICE and PHEV variants of the Luxury Urban EV

Speaking to our sister publication, Autocar UK, Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser confirmed that the firm has “no intention to put an ICE engine in or to put a plug-in hybrid drivetrain” in its electric SUV. He added that PHEV and ICE variants of the Luxury Urban EV are “not part of [Bentley’s] strategy,” and that he sees the Bentayga PHEV (not sold in India) as a fitting combustion-powered alternative to the electric SUV.

For perspective, the Bentayga PHEV uses a 3.0-litre turbo V6 hybrid powertrain developing up to 462hp and 900Nm, along with an 18kWh battery that serves up a claimed all-electric range of 45km.

‘Technically unfeasible’ to fit combustion powertrains on Luxury Urban EV platform

On the topic of demand, Walliser stated that “one of the tricky tasks that [Bentley is] heading for” is determining “who is really interested and how big is the market” for luxury EVs. To further his point, Walliser even admitted that retrofitting a combustion engine is “technically not feasible” on the Luxury Urban EV’s platform.

“Part of the Bentley strategy is not to replace a car. So Bentayga will continue, so we don’t have to, let me call it, force people to change from a combustion engine or plug-in hybrid car to an electric car. So we are targeting and looking for new customers [with the EV],” said Walliser.

He also described the Luxury Urban EV as “a different proposition” to what “other competitors are doing”, adding: “I strongly believe [Bentley has] a very interesting offer.”

Given that several carmakers are dramatically scaling back or even outright scrapping their EV plans, Bentley doubling down on them is quite notable. As mentioned previously, the Bentley Luxury Urban EV’s global launch is planned for the second half of 2026, with deliveries starting from 2027. Like its platform sibling, the Cayenne Electric, the Bentley electric SUV could be equipped with a 113kWh, dual-motor AWD powertrain chucking out close to or even upwards of 1,000hp.