Bentley’s EXP 15 is an enormous electric SUV – but it only has three seats

Bentley has given a first glimpse of what its electric future could look like. And it’s fair to say, it will be exceptionally large.

The British luxury car manufacturer has unveiled its hulking EXP 15 – a car it has dubbed a ‘design vision concept’ that lays the foundations for Bentley’s ‘reimagined future’ as an electric vehicle maker.

Coming in the wake of Jaguar’s controversial rebranding as an electric-only premium vehicle maker and the unveiling of its own dramatic Type 00 concept – a car that’s prompted plenty of debate among petrol heads and the public generally – the EXP 15 is similarly a huge detour from convention for the Crewe-based car maker.

Like Jag, it sets the tone for a production model that is due to be unveiled in 12 months’ time.

The first all-electric Bentley is due to be showcased in 2026, with the British marque confirming last year that it will be an ‘Urban Luxury SUV’ – something it made clear last year when it announced it would be delaying its original plan to become an all-electric car brand in 2030 by five years to 2035.

With a massive 5.4-metre-long body, jacked up suspension, extended bonnet and humongous front grille, there’s nothing insignificant about its dimensions. But despite its overwhelming scale, the EXP 15 has just three seats inside its opulent cabin.

EXP 15 is part of Bentley’s electric detour

As part of its bold ‘Beyond 100+’ strategy announced in 2020 – to much fanfare, we must add – Bentley said it would turn its back on the combustion engine after 111 years to become an all-electric premium car maker by the end of the decade.

But last November, bosses said a slump in EV demand had pulled the handbrake on these green intentions for at least another five years.

However, the postponement of its full-EV transition has not halted its plans to imminently launch the first all-electric Bentley – though it has pushed its arrival date back 12 months to next year.

That first battery car was intended to be a sleek electric grand tourer GT in the ilk of the EXP 100 it showcased in 2020, but last year Bentley said it would change direction to an urban SUV to sit below the Bentayga.

While Bentley had unequivocally stated that EXP 15 is ‘not intended for production or indeed sale’ but will signal the design language of its debut EV – though in far smaller dimensions.

And despite bosses’ claims, this monumental concept could still develop into a future model, especially with the replacement for the Mulsanne limousine due in 2030.

Robin Page, Bentley’s design director, said: ‘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.

‘Some customers want a classic ‘three-box’ sedan shape, others a ‘one-box’ design, and others again something more elevated. So this was a chance for us to talk to people and get a feeling.’

The bold looks

There’s no doubting the fact the EXP 15 has presence. 

And this is largely because bosses have outlined that all future models must adhere to five specific design principles.

These are: ‘Upright Elegance’, ‘Iconic Grille’, ‘Endless Bonnet Line’, ‘Resting Beast’ and ‘Prestigious Shield’.

But it also harks back to Bentley’s past.

Designers were briefed to use the Bentley Speed Six Gurney Nutting Sportsman coupe from 1930 as a primary influence for its appearance.

The car – one of its earliest GT models – earned the moniker the ‘Blue Train’ after former Bentley chairman and racing driver Woolf Barnato raced one against a train from Cannes to Calais. He famously arrived in London before the locomotive had reached its final destination in France. 

Without question, the focal point of the EXP 15’s design that initially catches the eye is the extensive grille.

While a fundamental component to keep its huge 12-cylinder engines cool in the past, the switch to battery power leaves little to no requirement for a substantial grille to keep the powertrain at an optimum temperature.

However, Bentley acknowledges that statement-making grilles have been a standout element of its century-long design language, and by retaining it will ensure its EV models of the future evoke the same feeling of presence.

The design team has been inventive with it. The grille is shuttered to provide some element of cooling while cruising around town but can close entirely when travelling at speed to improve the aerodynamic of the slab-fronted electric car. 

The grille is also backlit while the geometric pattern and central spine is also illuminated.

Above it is a new Bentley ‘Prestigious Shield’ emblem – though one that isn’t a drastic move away from tradition like we saw when Jaguar unveiled its new logo a year ago. 

Continuing with the iconic Bentley Wings, it is an evolution of what we know today. That said, it is only the fifth time the badge has been altered in the company’s 106-year history and is by far the most significant transformation in a clear signal of the start of the brand’s new era. While noticeably different, it unlikely to upset enthusiasts and current owners in the same way Jaguar appears to have done.

The concept also has a place for the Flying B mascot adorning the nose of the ‘endless’ bonnet – another feature of its former models that bosses listed as a design non-negotiable to ensure future EVs continue to look like proper Bentleys.

The deletion of a whopping combustion engine under the hood – and the batteries lining the chassis floor – means there’s ample luggage space under the never-ending bonnet lid. That’s a good think, because the EXP 15 doesn’t have a conventional boot.

Instead, the rear panel drops down to reveal a pair of rear-facing viewing seats – a feature loved by well-heeled clients who often enjoy pulling up at the races and garden parties in their Bentleys. Of course, it has room for a bottle of bubbly and a couple of champagne flutes, too!

Bentley’s ‘Resting Beast’ design pillar references the stance of the car, with Domen Rucigaj, head of exterior design, explaining: ‘All the finest Bentleys feature rear haunches that bulge outward from the body of the car above the rear wheels, expressing their ‘muscle’ and potent energy, just like the rounded shape of the bent upper legs of a big cat.

‘But a Bentley’s overall stance needs to be relaxed and horizontal, not aggressively leaning forward, nor leaning back and looking ‘lazy’. I am also focused on perfect Bentley proportions which are divided, from top to bottom, into one-third for the cabin and two-thirds for the body.’

Another focal area is the car’s portrait LED headlight clusters, which frame the grille and flank a pair of vents that channel airflow through the wheelarches and along the profile of the elongated luxury motor.

Bentley have equipped the muscular concept with active twin roof spoilers and an active rear diffuser, which again help to bolster the aerodynamic performance of this barge-like jacked-up limo. 

The rear of the car is complimented by C-shaped LED brake light clusters and Bentley’s new lettering a logo – both of which are also illuminated.

Finally, the liquid metal satin paint colour is called Pallas Gold, with golden white highlights inspired by the nickel parts on the legendary Speed Six.

Three doors – and only three seats

One of the biggest shock features of the EXP 15 is its three-door design.

On the driver’s side (or offside) is a single door, while the nearside has a pair of coach doors. And there’s a very good reason why…

The interior layout of the concept has only three seats.

While the driver’s chair and rear passenger seat directly behind are in a fixed position, the nearside of the interior has just one seat. This can be electronically adjusted, giving the occupant the option of having masses of legroom or they can slide the chair forwards into ‘co-pilot’ mode, like a traditional front-seat passenger, to chat to the driver or reclined business-class style to provide a space to sleep when being chauffeured to a destination.

A reading lamp in the centre console running along the spine of the cabin can also be electronically adjusted forward and back to provide the ideal calming illumination for the passenger to get lost in a novel no matter which position the nearside chair has been located.

The vast space in front of that seat has footrests, of course, but these can be folded down to create a shallow space for more luggage or – as highlighted in these Bentley images – a perfect destination to install a bed for a beloved, likely pedigree, pet. 

When the coach doors are opened for the lone passenger to exit, part of the panoramic roof lifts up and the seat swivels 45 degrees to provide the easiest entry and exit point – a feature many celebrities will hope to see make production to improve the elegance of arriving at red-carpet events. 

‘The seat can rotate and you step out, totally unflustered, not trying to clamber out like you see with some supercars,’ Darren Day, head of interior design, said. 

‘You just get out with dignity and the Instagram shot is perfect. If you look at the car we built for Her Majesty the Queen, it was always designed around the aperture of the door and ‘the art of arrival’. It was really important for us to create that feeling here, too.’ 

In a more conventional move, the cockpit is dominated by the same ‘Wing Gesture’ dashboard design used in existing Bentleys, and instead of shifting to eco-conscious composite materials, the British brand has used large sections of natural wood, metal and stone to create dramatic visual aspects of the cabin.

More screens, no fewer buttons

With a demanding clientele, Bentley has appeased their calls for the cockpit to feature plenty of buttons rather than becoming overly reliant on convoluted touchscreen systems – which are by no means dignified to operate, such as trying to thumb the panel to change the temperature settings.

The dashboard blends physical and digital interfaces in what it dubs a ‘Magical Fusion’ of knurled dials – including the start button in the centre console – and a trio of screens.

The first is an information laden high-definition driver’s instrument cluster, while the second us a stunning clock-like infotainment suite showing the navigation route. The third is a combination of passenger-jet inspired small displays for the nearside passenger showing direction of travel, outside temperature and the time.

Bentley has also modernised its famed rotating dashboard used in the latest Flying Spur or Continental GT.

However, instead of revolving to show a single wood veneer panel, the EXP 15’s cockpit can simply be switched off to reveal a beautiful surface beneath.

How far can it go on a full charge?

While Bentley has waxed lyrical about the design concept of the EXP 15, details regarding the electric drivetrain are relatively sparse.

Bosses say this is because it is ‘first and foremost’ a design concept.

While they promise the battery-driven powertrain will ‘enable 21st century Grand Tours with sustainable ease and effortless performance’ and the car is indeed all-wheel drive with ‘a long range and recharging speeds commensurate with the convenience consumers have come to expect from a Bentley’, that’s all they’re saying for now.

‘No further details are being given of its technical specification nor possible platform,’ the company said.

However, in an interview with Autocar, Page said clients have suggested a 300 to 350-mile range will suffice.

‘Beyond that, they’ll use their private jet,’ he said.