Bentley’s future has taken another unexpected turn. Earlier today, spy photographers snapped the brand’s electric crossover out testing, yet the company is abandoning plans to go electric-only. This is yet another about-face for Bentley, which was originally aiming to only sell EVs by 2030. The ultra-luxury brand then pushed that date back to 2035 and now, who knows.

More: Bentley Confirms First EV For 2026 But Pushes Back EV-Only Goal By 5 Years

Speaking to Autocar, Bentley CEO Frank-Steffen Walliser appeared to blame the change on Audi and Porsche. The three brands are closely related as they share platforms, powertrains, and components. As a result, their decision to continue offering internal combustion engines has impacted Bentley.

Gas Still On The Menu

That means we can expect gas-powered versions of the next-generation Bentayga, Continental, and Flying Spur. This is said to be a concession to North America and the Middle East, which aren’t keen on ultra-luxury EVs. As Walliser explained, “There is a dip in demand for luxury electric vehicles, and customer demand is not yet strong enough to support an all-electric strategy.”

Despite the change, Bentley is still embracing electrification and is planning to launch a new plug-in hybrid or electric vehicle every year starting in 2026. This kicks off with their electric Urban SUV and will presumably continue with a greater emphasis on plug-in hybrids.

Performance With A Plug

While that future is still hazy, spy photographers have already caught a hardcore version of the Continental GT Speed. It’s expected to revive the Supersports moniker and adopt a high-performance plug-in hybrid system that consists of a twin-turbo 4.0-liter V8, an electric motor, and a 25.9 kWh battery pack. This setup should give the model a combined output in excess of 771 hp (575 kW / 782 PS).

Bentley last year opted to dial back its goal to become an all-electric brand by 2030, delaying the switchover by several years. But its first EV is scheduled to debut next year, and these spy shots are the first images of a prototype out in the wild.

Related: Bentley Isn’t Porsching Around With Its First EV

Dubbed the Urban SUV, the posh electric utility is smaller than Bentley’s existing combustion Bentayga and rides on entirely different architecture. While the Benytayga shares its MLB platform with Porsche’s petrol-powered Cayenne, the Urban SUV uses the VW Group PPE platform found under the new Cayenne Electric that’s due to debut in the coming months.

What Does It Look Like?

Slotting under Bentayga in Bentley’s growing line-up, the Urban SUV should be similar in size to the Cayenne Electric at just under 5 meters (196.9 inches) long. For context, the Bentayga measures 5,125 mm (201.8 inches), while the Extended Wheelbase version stretches to 5,305 mm (208.9 inches).

As we can see from these pics of the prototype, it’ll look very different from the Cayenne EV. It has a squared nose, flat hood, and flared rear fenders, much like other Bentleys, but it might be best not to put too much store into the quad headlight setup and oval-shaped taillights.

Why? Because this summer Bentley revealed its EXP15 concept to showcase its radical future design direction, and it’s very possible some of the design details from that fastback SUV, like the vertical headlights, huge square grille, and hairpin-shaped taillights, could make an appearance on the Urban SUV in some form.

Though this prototype’s roofline isn’t quite as coupe-like as the EXP15’s, it has a much more pronounced slope after the B-pillar than the Bentayga does, giving it a sportier vibe. The rear doors are also clearly shorter than the Bentayga’s.

Baldauf

Power and Performance

Under the skin, there’s sure to be some crossover with sister company Porsche’s Cayenne Electric. Though we’re still waiting to get full details on that, reports suggest the Porsche will come with three powertrain options delivering 394 hp (400 PS / 294 kW) for the base Cayenne, 592 hp (600 PS / 441 kW) in S trim, and 794 hp (805 PS / 592 kW) as a Turbo.

Given Bentley’s position in the VW Group hierarchy it seems logical that the Urban SUV – or whatever it’s called when it arrives – will skip at least the first rung on that electric ladder. But it could get the same circa-108 kWh battery as the Cayenne, should still be good for around 350 miles (563 km) of WLTP range, and will be able to charge at 400 kW.

We’ll get a full look at the Urban SUV in mid-2026, but deliveries won’t start until the second quarter of 2027. Prices are still an unknown quantity, but should come in below the $207k starting price for a Bentayga. While the larger SUV continues as Bentley’s only ICE offering, the Urban SUV will launch solely as an electric model. Check out the EXP15 images below to get an idea of how the Urban SUV might look.

Bentley