Bentley working on Tesla-trouncing EV for eco-friendly super-rich, report says
Tesla has shaken up the luxury sedan market so much, Bentley is reportedly considering joining in with an EV of its own.
See also: Faraday Future's 1,000-horsepower concept car should make Tesla very, very nervous
Though the average Model S sells for around $100,000, a Bentley EV would likely run into the $200,000 mark. So, it'd be like a Tesla competitor ... times two.
According to Drive.com.au, Bentley plans to join the rest of the Volkswagen Group, including Audi and Porsche, and build a bespoke British electric car.
"We are currently in the stage where we are evaluating all the possibilities, but there are so many question marks behind this," Bentley engineering chief Rolf Frech told Drive.com.au. "I think there will be an answer within the next six months to a year to decide which direction we will go, but of course electric will be a future strategy direction for Bentley."
Although the car would be underpinned by the same electric platform as the promised Porsche Mission E, it would have its very own Bentley body, interior and gentlemanly attitude. Of course, just because it's powered by the Porsche EV tech doesn't mean it needs to be the same size.
Frech hinted that the EXP 10 Speed 6 sports coupe concept car pictured above could be built as the Bentley EV. The diminutive size of the Speed 6, however, could propose range limitations. Considering that, along with Bentley's penchant for building big cars, it could go a more traditional route. That might look something like the massive Mulsanne Speed ... but with a whispered electron-driven powertrain.
Of course, all of this said, Bentley could nix the car before it ever reaches showrooms and leave the EVs to the other VW Group brands. However, if Tesla has proved anything it is that there is a market for luxurious and powerful EVs. And, let's be honest, there's no brand that married luxury and performance better than Bentley.
