Bentley is preparing for a major turning point with the 2028 Torcal, the company’s first fully electric production vehicle and, according to the automaker, the most powerful Bentley ever built. The new luxury SUV will also be the quickest-accelerating production model in Bentley history, putting instant electric torque to work in a way that should push performance beyond anything offered by the brand’s traditional V8 and W12-powered machines. Exact output and acceleration figures have not yet been announced, but the current Continental GT Speed already produces 771 horsepower from its plug-in hybrid powertrain, giving the Torcal a very high bar to clear.

The Torcal is expected to be smaller and sportier than the Bentayga, while still delivering the comfort, craftsmanship, and effortless performance that have long defined Bentley. Early information points to a dual-motor all-wheel-drive setup, and the SUV is closely related to the architecture used by the Porsche Cayenne Electric. Car and Driver reports that output could start around 838 horsepower, with an estimated driving range of more than 300 miles and an 800-volt electrical system designed to support very quick DC fast charging. Bentley is also developing a unique sound experience for the Torcal, blending musical elements with inspiration from some of the company’s most memorable combustion engines rather than giving the vehicle the typical futuristic soundtrack heard in many EVs.

Perhaps the most interesting part of the Torcal is that Bentley does not appear interested in treating electrification as an excuse to soften its performance image. Instead, the company is using the transition to electric power to push acceleration and output further than before while attempting to preserve the refined character buyers expect from Crewe. The 2028 Bentley Torcal is scheduled for its full reveal later in September, when specifications, performance figures, interior details, and more of its exterior design should finally come into focus. If Bentley delivers on its claims, the Torcal will represent much more than the brand’s first EV. It could establish a completely new performance benchmark for Bentley as it enters its electric era.