Bentley Developing All-Electric Car

Bentley EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept (Credit: Bentley)

It seems like every luxury automaker out there is looking to “take down” or “take on” Tesla. Add Bentley to the growing list of brands with electric dreams, because the company is reportedly working on an all-electric sedan that would go head-to-head against the Model S. This was first reported by Australia’s Drive.com.

Instead of being just some wild rumor, the news comes straight from Rolf French, Bentley’s board member over engineering. One would think French would know what the British automaker is up to with future product development, because that’s part of his job.

The VW Group, which owns Bentley, is making some big moves with electrification. While the Volkswagen BUDD-e concept showed that the company is wanting to turn over a new leaf after the whole Dieselgate scandal, the future Bentley sedan will likely share its underpinnings with something much cooler: the Porsche Mission E. Considering that the all-electric Porsche is already costing a shockingly huge wad of cash to develop, that’s a wise move.

Don’t expect the yet-to-be-named Bentley electric sedan to look anything like its German sibling. It likely will have a distinct appearance, plus a proper British interior, not some Teutonic rubbish.

A tablet-like touchscreen and the latest in vehicle connectivity features are pretty much a guarantee. Exactly what that means depends on how far the technology progresses before the sedan launches. Bentley will definitely need to deliver with great onboard tech, because Tesla has been pushing the envelope with its constant barrage of over-the-air updates that upgrade vehicles and fix issues without really any hassle for owners.

There’s a strong possibility that the future Bentley electric car will be patterned after the EXP 10 Speed 6 Concept, which made a splashy appearance not too long ago. Not only does the concept feature proper British racing green paint, it’s breathtakingly beautiful. Oh, and the headlights really set it apart from anything on the road today.

Expect to see the all-electric Bentley around 2020, after the Porsche Mission E hits the market.