The Torcal, unveiled in London yesterday (23 September) by the British manufacturer, is the firm’s first fully electric car. Designed, engineered and built in Crewe, the sleek SUV is the latest entry to a fast-growing electric vehicle (EV) market.
British drivers have more EVs than ever to choose from, according to research published yesterday by the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders (SMMT), with manufacturers launching the equivalent of one fully electric model every fortnight for the past three years. Some 85 new battery EVs have reached the market since 2023, doubling the total offering to 171 by August 2026.
Those EVs sit alongside 109 plug-in hybrid and 52 hybrid electric models, meaning more than three-quarters of available models are capable of driving without tailpipe emissions.
“The breadth of choice is the result of sustained investment by manufacturers, with new vehicles typically taking between three to five years to develop and bring to market,” the SMMT said.
That fast growth is happening despite concerns about consumer demand from SMMT, which represents more than 800 automotive companies in the UK. In August, the organisation welcomed the government’s consultation on the zero emission vehicle (ZEV) mandate, with industry invited to help shape annual targets ahead of the phase-out of new petrol and diesel cars by 2030, and for all new cars and vans to be fully zero-emission by 2035.
Battery EVs made up 25.6% of sales in the first eight months of the year, according to SMMT figures – a record high, but still significantly below the 33% headline mandate target for this year.
“The regulation was conceived… under very different conditions – cheaper energy, rapidly declining production costs and more optimistic global demand expectations,” SMMT chief executive Mike Hawes said at the time.
“Regulatory targets are now running ahead of current consumer demand, so this review is a timely opportunity to optimise the pace of change. This is a regulation that increasingly dictates consumer choice – and therefore automotive companies’ future strategies and viability – so it must work for all involved. That means a commercially sustainable transition that supports UK competitiveness, investment and jobs while delivering greater choice and affordability for motorists – with a rapid resolution needed to unlock those benefits for everyone.”
Despite concerns about consumer demand, there have been some positive signs. Yesterday, EV charging company Easee said UK sales of its charging units were up 37% year on year, which it linked to rising fuel prices driven by conflict in the Middle East. Figures from the RAC show that the average price of petrol has climbed from £1.32 per litre at the start of March to £1.62 by the second week of August, while diesel has risen from £1.42 to £1.82 over the same period.
“The data suggests drivers are no longer waiting to be persuaded; they're doing the maths,” said Easee CEO Øyvind Stavland Osjord. “Every month of rising pump prices makes the running-cost case for electric more obvious, and our [first-half] numbers show households are acting on that calculation rather than just talking about it.”
The increasing number of available models will be welcome news to those households. “Britain’s new car market has never offered so much choice, with a new electric model arriving every fortnight and zero-emission motoring now available in every shape and size of vehicle,” Hawes said yesterday.
“Industry investment is delivering the products, performance and range drivers need, while compelling offers are helping more people make the switch. For those still facing barriers or uncertainty, the huge range of hybrid and lower-emission models means drivers can still make drastic cuts to their carbon footprint, keeping the UK firmly on the road to net zero.”
Full EVs are now typically able to travel more than 300 miles (483 km) on a single charge, well above the 127 miles (204 km) driven weekly by the average UK driver, according to Department for Transport research.
The Bentley Torcal has a reported range of up to 375 miles (604 km), with up to 80% charge in 16 minutes. Other specifications include 0-60 mph in as little as 2.8 seconds (0-100 km/h in 2.9 seconds), with the highest torque of any Bentley ever made (1,350 Newton-metres). The car’s high-voltage battery consists of 192 lithium-ion pouch cells in series, running at 800V nominal, with a total net capacity of 113 kWh.
To replace the sound of a powerful engine, the Torcal instead has a “handcrafted propulsion sound performed by musicians inspired by the beat of a Bentley 6¾ litre V8”. Including drums, viola and bass guitar, the “dynamic symphony” is calibrated in response to driver torque demand and vehicle speed.
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