Bentley’s first all-electric car arrives next year. Today, we get a preview in the form of the EXP 15, which is one of the strangest things we’ve ever seen from the British automaker. It’s a tall, three-seat electric car with two doors on the left side, and one door on the right side.
Bentley designers took inspiration from a 1930 Speed Six three-seater named “Blue Train” after a famous race owner Woolf Barnato ran against a French train. This historical connection demonstrates how the luxury marque balances its storied past with electrified ambitions, creating a bridge between the golden age of British grand touring and contemporary sustainable mobility.
The asymmetrical door configuration represents a radical departure from conventional automotive design principles. The unique layout places two doors on the left side while positioning a single door on the right, creating visual intrigue and functional flexibility. This arrangement allows for enhanced passenger access while maintaining the vehicle’s distinctive silhouette.
Luxury Redefined Through Electric Architecture
The Bentley EXP 15 concept showcases a three-seat, three-door design with unique features like a sliding, swiveling seat and a convertible trunk space. The seating arrangement challenges traditional automotive layouts, with one seat positioned behind the right-hand driver’s seat and another on the left rear of the car. This configuration maximizes interior space while maintaining the intimate atmosphere that defines Bentley ownership.
The concept includes thoughtful touches that reflect the brand’s attention to detail and understanding of luxury lifestyle needs. In renderings, Bentley even shows a bespoke dog bed that sits ahead of the left-side passenger seat. There’s also a tailgate at the back, with in-built picnic chairs, presumably for watching polo from.
Digital Art Replaces Traditional Grille
As EVs don’t need a big grille to cool an engine, Bentley instead opted for a decorative lighting element its head exterior designer, Robin Page, calls a piece of “digital art.” This innovative approach transforms the traditional Bentley grille into an interactive display element that maintains brand recognition while embracing electric vehicle possibilities.
The illuminated hexagonal grille maintains Bentley’s signature aesthetic while adapting to electric powertrains. The grille is comprised of an array of triangular elements that mimic the brand’s geometric design language, creating a cohesive visual identity that spans combustion and electric eras.
Aerodynamic Efficiency Meets Luxury Standards
Obviously aero has a lot to do with this. That matters when you’re going electric. Bentley’s designers have gilded the car with twin active roof spoilers and a diffuser to aid range. The wheels are shrouded in flush covers.
These aerodynamic enhancements demonstrate Bentley’s commitment to electric vehicle efficiency without compromising luxury appeal. The active aerodynamic elements adjust based on driving conditions, optimizing both performance and range while maintaining the sophisticated appearance expected from the marque.
Storage Solutions Reimagined
Like previous combustion-powered Bentleys, there’s an extremely long hood, but without an engine, Bentley had room to create two storage panels, accessed by center hinging doors. This clever packaging solution transforms traditional engine bay space into practical storage areas, demonstrating how electric architecture enables new possibilities for luxury vehicle design.
The extended hood maintains Bentley’s distinctive proportions while serving functional purposes. The center-hinged panels provide secure storage for luggage, golf equipment, or other personal items, ensuring the EXP 15 maintains the grand touring capability that defines the brand.
Interior Balances Technology and Tradition
Inside, there are the requisite screens across the dashboard, but Bentley is quick to point out a lot of more old-school elements. There’s physical climate and steering-wheel controls and textiles from a 250-year-old English company.
This thoughtful integration of digital and analog elements reflects Bentley’s understanding of luxury customer preferences. While embracing necessary technological advancement, the brand maintains tactile controls and traditional craftsmanship that define the ownership experience.
Market Positioning Strategy Revealed
Bentley says this concept sort of exists in a space between its current models, the Continental GT coupe, the Flying Spur sedan, and the Bentayga SUV. This positioning strategy suggests the brand’s intention to fill gaps in their portfolio while exploring new market segments through electric vehicle capabilities.
“The beauty of a concept car is not just to position our new design language, but to test where the market’s going. It’s clear that SUVs are a growing segment and we understand the GT market—through four generations of the Continental GT—but the trickiest segment is the sedan because it’s changing,” said Page in a statement.
Staying True to Brand DNA
At first, it feels like something of a departure for Bentley, but the EXP 15 fits in well with its past and present. Ettore Bugatti once apparently described Bentley’s 3-Litre as the “fastest lorry in the world.” Compared to Bugatti’s cars, Bentleys were hulking beasts, but they were successful in racing and beloved by enthusiasts. This big, asymmetrical concept car might be an EV, but there is no doubt it is a Bentley.
The EXP 15 represents Bentley’s strategic approach to electric vehicle development, maintaining brand heritage while embracing technological innovation. While that was a pure concept of what a Bentley might look like in 2035, the EXP 15 is meant to be a rough preview of cues we’ll see on Bentley’s first electric vehicle, debuting in 2026.
Frequently Asked Questions
Q: When will Bentley’s first production electric vehicle arrive? A: Bentley’s first all-electric production car is scheduled to arrive in 2026, with the EXP 15 concept providing design cues that will influence the production model.
Q: What makes the EXP 15’s door configuration unique? A: The EXP 15 features an asymmetrical three-door design with two doors on the left side and one door on the right side, creating a distinctive appearance while optimizing passenger access for the three-seat layout.
Q: How does the concept maintain Bentley’s luxury identity without a traditional engine? A: The EXP 15 uses a decorative lighting element as “digital art” to replace the traditional grille, while maintaining the long hood proportions and incorporating premium materials like textiles from a 250-year-old English company.
Q: What inspired the EXP 15’s design? A: Bentley designers drew inspiration from the 1930 Speed Six three-seater named “Blue Train,” connecting the concept to the brand’s grand touring heritage while adapting it for electric mobility.
Q: How does the concept address electric vehicle efficiency? A: The EXP 15 incorporates twin active roof spoilers, a rear diffuser, and flush wheel covers to optimize aerodynamics and extend electric range while maintaining luxury aesthetics.
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