Bentley, the United Kingdom's top-tier handmade automaker and one of the world's three great luxury car brands alongside Rolls-Royce and Maybach, will unveil the brand's first electric vehicle equipped with Korean batteries at the end of Sep. It is the timing chosen to present a "Bentley-like EV" that balances performance, exhaust sound, and craftsmanship. In the Korean market, the company plans to shed the image of being "the preserve of middle-aged and older asset holders" through the new EV and reach a new generation and customer base by putting performance front and center.
Bentley Chief Executive Frank-Stephan Walliser met Asia-Pacific reporters on the 19th (local time) at The Muse, a customer experience space in Crewe in northwest England, and said, "We are preparing a very exciting vehicle to be unveiled at the end of Sep.," adding, "It does not replace an existing model; it adds a new model to the lineup, making this a very important moment for Bentley."
Internally codenamed "D-LUV," this model is Bentley's first all-electric vehicle. It will be equipped with a battery from LG Energy Solution, and when the battery is depleted, charging technology will allow it to secure a driving range of 100 miles (about 160 km) within seven minutes. At under 5 meters in length, Walliser has referred to it as a "mini Bentayga (Bentley's full-size SUV)." Walliser said, "Performance will be very powerful, as befits Bentley, and in terms of practicality, it will offer everything that allows us to call it an 'urban SUV.'"
Although the first EV reveal comes later than other automakers, Walliser said this was "closer to a deliberate choice," adding, "Bentley did not want to simply launch an EV; we chose the moment when we could present a 'clearly Bentley-like EV.'" The focus, he said, was on bringing it to market only after reaching a level that fully embodies the brand's essence. Walliser emphasized, "The timing itself is Bentley's choice, and that choice is the strategy."
So what sets Bentley's EV apart? Walliser highlighted "sound" in particular. "Every Bentley must have its own sound, and EVs are no exception," he said. "That sound must be worthy of the Bentley brand." Bentley is characterized by a low, weighty baritone resonance, differentiating it from the sprightly or sharp exhaust notes of other brands.
Walliser added, "Even after engines, vibrations, and exhaust notes disappear (with the advent of EVs), what must remain is ultimately Bentley-ness," noting, "Bentley offers the world's best interiors, and our craftsmanship is second to none."
Walliser expressed particular optimism about the Korean market. "Korea is a place that is very early-adopting of new technologies and a very good indicator of what is happening around the world," he said. "For EVs, Korea is a great opportunity to deliver luxury and modern technology together, and I personally have high expectations." According to Kaizuyu Data Lab, as of the end of Apr. this year, EVs accounted for 21.4% of all passenger cars in the country, an 11-fold jump from the end of 2020 (1.9%).
The company also expects the EV to broaden its Korean customer base. "Most brands use special editions or multi-brand strategies to emphasize either luxury or performance, but Bentley is a very rare brand that realizes a vehicle that is both highly luxurious and sporty in a single car," Walliser said. "Through the new EV, it will be an important opportunity to reach a new customer base and a new generation different from the past."
However, he stressed that boosting sales volume is not the goal. According to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), Bentley Korea sold 393 vehicles domestically last year, about half of the record annual sales in 2023 (810). "Bentley consistently sees 'scarcity' as an important element of luxury," Walliser said. "Our conversations with customers focus not on simple sales volume but on 'the vehicle best suited to the customer' and 'a differentiated brand experience.' When we focus on these areas, results will naturally follow."
"Bentley has a very firm commitment to the Korean market from a long-term perspective," Walliser said. "I would like to tell discerning Korean customers to 'experience the car for yourselves.'" He added, "Test-drive it, configure the specifications, and check all the elements built around it; Bentley's EV is 'a Bentley before it is an EV,' and that is the priority we set."