Bentley, the United Kingdom's top-tier handcrafted automaker and one of the world's three great luxury car brands alongside Rolls-Royce and Maybach, will unveil at the end of Sep. its first brand electric vehicle equipped with Korean batteries. The timing was chosen to debut a "Bentley-like EV" that harmonizes performance, exhaust note, and craftsmanship. In the Korean market, through the new EV, the company plans to shed the image of being the preserve of "middle-aged and older asset holders" and, by putting performance first, reach a new generation and customer base.
Frank-Steffen Walliser, Bentley's chief executive officer (CEO), met with Asia-Pacific reporters at The Muse, a customer experience space in Crewe in northwest England, on the 19th (local time) 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 but adds a new one to the lineup, making it a very important moment for Bentley."
Codenamed "D-LUV" within Bentley, this model is the brand's first pure electric vehicle. It will be equipped with batteries from LG Energy Solution, and a charging technology will be applied that can secure a driving range of 100 miles (about 160 km) within 7 minutes when the battery is discharged. At under 5 meters in length, CEO Walliser even referred to it as a "mini Bentayga (Bentley's large SUV)." Walliser said, "Its performance will be very powerful in true Bentley fashion, and in terms of practicality, it will offer everything that allows it to be called an 'urban SUV.'"
Although the first EV reveal is later than other full-line automakers, Walliser said this was "closer to a deliberate choice," adding, "Bentley did not simply launch an EV; it chose the moment when it could present a 'clearly Bentley-like EV.'" The focus, he said, was on bringing it to market once they had reached a level that could fully embody the essence of the brand. Walliser emphasized, "The timing itself is Bentley's choice, and that choice is the strategy."
So what makes Bentley's EV different? Walliser particularly emphasized "sound." "Every Bentley must have its own sound, and EVs are no exception," he said. "That sound must befit the Bentley brand." Bentley is characterized by a low, weighty baritone resonance that sets it apart from the lively or sharp exhaust notes of other brands.
Walliser added, "Even after the engine, vibrations, and exhaust note are gone (with the advent of EVs), what must remain is ultimately Bentleyness," and said, "Bentley is a brand that offers the world's finest interiors, and our craftsmanship is second to none."
Walliser expressed particular expectations for the Korean market. "Korea is a place that is very early-adopting (quick to embrace 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." In fact, according to Kaizuyu Data Research Institute, as of the end of Apr. this year, EVs accounted for 21.4% of all passenger cars in Korea, an elevenfold jump from the end of 2020 (1.9%).
He also said the EV would broaden the Korean customer base. "Most brands use separate editions or multi-brand strategies to emphasize either luxury or performance, but Bentley is a very rare brand that achieves both extreme luxury and sportiness within a single vehicle," 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 made clear that boosting sales volume is not the goal. According to the Korea Automobile Importers & Distributors Association (KAIDA), Bentley Korea sold 393 vehicles in Korea last year, about half of the record annual sales in 2023 (810 units). Walliser said, "Bentley consistently views 'scarcity' as an important element of luxury," adding, "Our conversations with customers focus not on simple volume but on 'the most suitable vehicle for the customer' and on a 'distinctive brand experience.' When we focus on these aspects, results will naturally follow."
Walliser said, "Bentley has a very firm, long-term commitment to the Korean market," adding, "I would like to tell discerning Korean customers to 'experience the vehicle for yourselves.'" He said, "I hope you drive it yourself, configure the specifications, and check all the elements built around it," adding, "A Bentley EV is 'a Bentley before it is an EV,' and that is the priority we have set."