2 min read - 28 Sep, 2026
Bentley launches first electric car after £350m Crewe investment
Bentley has unveiled its first fully electric vehicle following the completion of a £350m upgrade to its factory in Crewe, Cheshire.
For 80 years, Crewe has been Bentley’s home, and the place where every new Bentley model has been designed, developed, engineered and handcrafted – a lineage set to continue with the introduction of the new Torcal SUV. The capacity to build the new model forms part of the self-funded investment in its headquarters, including the opening of a new paint shop and a renewal programme spanning the factory site.
The Torcal will be built by hand on a brand new production line in Crewe, created out of one of the original factory buildings constructed in 1938. Previously housing the machining shop in the early years and most recently Bentley’s R&D workshop, the building was stripped before being fitted with a precisely level floor, essential for the use of autonomous guided vehicles (AGVs) to move in-build Torcals around the facility.
Following a £350m investment at its Crewe site, Bentley has unveiled its first fully electric vehicle, the Torcal SUV / Picture: Bentley
The new model is supported by a network of British suppliers, including Somerset-based Fox Brothers, who provide the wool used throughout Torcal’s interior. The diversity of skills handed down through generations, blended with the integration of new technologies, remains among Bentley’s greatest strengths.
Dr. Frank-Steffen Walliser, chairman and CEO of Bentley, said: “The Torcal is a Bentley first and foremost, created by hand by people who care, using the best available materials and technology to blend heritage with cutting-edge innovation. I believe this is one of the best Bentleys ever.”
The Torcal will be hand-crafted inside a reimagined 1938 factory building, kitted out with cutting-edge autonomous technology / Picture: Bentley
The Torcal has a range of up to 375 miles, and can be charged from 10-80% in just under 20 minutes at 400 kW, with seven minutes of charging adding around 100 miles of range.
Delivering up to 888 PS, with the highest torque of any Bentley ever made – 1,350 Nm – the Torcal can accelerate from 0-60 mph in 2.8 seconds, with a top speed of 162 mph.
As one of the region’s largest employers with over 4,000 colleagues, Bentley paired its site transformation with extensive workforce training and skills development.
