The Bentley Exp 15 concept suggests the brand's unique approach to luxury electric vehicles.

Bentley has just taken the wraps off from their EXP 15 concept, which reveals a glimpse of what the brand’s first ever electric car will look like, which is expected to launch sometime in 2026. The EXP 15 overall design is more of a revolutionary design concept rather than an evolution of their traditional design language, they also showcased the company’s heritage, utilizing the EXP 15 concept to narrate the company's historical legacy.

An Exceptional Configuration

Apart from its modern design, the EXP 15 takes inspiration from the 1930 Bentley Speed Six “Blue Train”, as this car was given this popular name in a publicity race which was organized by then-chairman Woolf Barnto and a french train. 

That legendary connection is reflected in the car’s new shape and seating combination which comprises the right-hand driver’s seat and two passenger seats present at the back. The door layout is also designed uniquely with two doors attached to the left side and one at the right. 

Bentley has also added various lifestyle add ons such as a custom dog bed present at the rear passenger seat and addition of picnic chairs attached to the tailgate point, however it will be interesting to see whether these unique features will come in the final model as generally these features are not seen in production cars. 

All-Electric Powertrain with New Priorities

As the new concept will be featuring an all-electric powertrain, Bentley Designers have given a touch of innovation by revising its proportions and introducing new features. Visually the EXP 15 is complimented by a long front section which is not for installing hardware but to incorporate twin storage compartments located through center-hinged panels. 

Instead of a traditional front grille, the designers have highlighted the front grille with a decorative lighting element, which has been termed as “digital art” by Bentely. 

INTERIORS: On the inside, Bentley has shaped the interiors with modern features such as a combination of digital screens with physical controls and materials which are crafted by British Textile suppliers. Bentley has smartly designed the interiors by providing modern features by giving a touch of traditional physical switches and conventional textures instead of going full digital. 

Positioning segments in an evolving market

The design chief of Bentley Robin Page has confirmed that EXP 15 is not positioned for a specific body type as its proportions have a striking balance between a coupe, sedan, and SUV which is a perfect answer to the evolving market in the luxury segment. 

Page expressed that customer interest towards sedans are changing and EXP 15 has been designed with a perfect combination between new formats. 

Striking a Balance Between Experimentation and Brand Familiarity

As the EXP 15 is designed with a unique design and is completely different from other traditional Bentley’s, still the EXP 15 retains the original characteristics of Bentely’s DNA which includes grand size, aggressive road presence, and emphasis on comfortable ride quality. 

Every car manufacturer tries to find perfection in some areas which its competitors can’t even come close to, and these areas can be performance, luxury, and driving pleasure. Ettore Bugatti famously referred to Bentley's 3-litre engine as "the fastest lorry in the world," highlighting the brand's commitment to merging performance with size.

The EXP 15 which will be powered by an electric powertrain will be following its key strength of embracing size with performance, even if execution is not seen on the concept, Bentley is set to utilize its strengths to ensure its legacy is evident in the world of electric mobility.

Thus the concept’s core vision lies in showing the potential of Bentley as how different they can be with their design language and also states that the new concept will not share any design cues or other elements which were previously produced by the brand.