Bentley picks LG Energy Solution cells for Torcal EV SUV launch

Bentley Motors opened orders for its first battery-electric sport utility vehicle, the Torcal, on Oct. 15, 2026, confirming LG Energy Solution as the exclusive cell supplier across global markets.

The British ultraluxury brand hosted the regional premiere in Seoul to mark two decades of operating in South Korea. The model carries a starting price of 330 million won ($244,000) for both standard and performance configurations.

Every Torcal vehicle draws power from a 113-kilowatt-hour lithium-ion pack built with 192 pouch cells arranged in series. The high-voltage system delivers 100% of the vehicle line's energy storage through nickel-cobalt-manganese chemistry.

Bentley Chairman and Chief Executive Officer Frank-Steffen Walliser confirmed the single-source arrangement during the Seoul launch event. He pointed to the South Korean cell manufacturer following earlier discussions at Crewe headquarters in May 2026.

Volkswagen Group typically runs multi-sourcing frameworks across its volume and premium nameplates to insulate assembly schedules. Bentley broke from that convention by assigning the Torcal program solely to LG Energy Solution.

Torcal rides on Volkswagen Group's PPE41C architecture, an 800-volt system co-developed for high-performance vehicles. The dedicated structure is shared directly with the forthcoming Porsche Cayenne Electric.

Pouch cells — flexible polymer containers holding laminated battery electrodes — offer high volumetric energy density. The packaging allows Bentley engineers to maximize floor pan clearance and cabin space without reducing energy storage.

Operating at 800 volts, the electrical architecture accepts peak charging power of 400 kilowatts. A direct-current fast charger refills the pack from 10% to 80% capacity in 16 minutes.

The 113-kilowatt-hour pack provides a driving range of up to 600 kilometers under the Worldwide Harmonized Light Vehicles Test Procedure (WLTP). Bentley calibrated the discharge curve to preserve cruising efficiency.

The performance-oriented Torcal S uses dual permanent magnet synchronous motors delivering 888 horsepower and 1,350 newton-meters of torque. Acceleration from zero to 100 kilometers per hour takes 2.9 seconds.

The standard Torcal produces 821 horsepower and 1,194 newton-meters of torque, reaching 100 kilometers per hour in 3.4 seconds. Top speed is governed at 250 kilometers per hour.

Bentley spent more than 350 million pounds ($455 million) modernizing its historic Crewe manufacturing complex in England. Autonomous guided vehicles transport vehicle bodies along a leveled assembly line built inside a 1938 brick structure.

The carmaker named the Torcal on July 6, 2026, referencing a rock formation in Andalusia, Spain. Production line tooling finished on Sept. 17, leading to a world premiere in London on Sept. 23.

Bentley detailed the 113-kilowatt-hour, 192-cell battery specification in its Sept. 23 global media release. The document omitted the supplier name, deferring supplier acknowledgment until executive briefings in Seoul.

Regulatory filings on South Korea's Financial Supervisory Service repository and LG Energy Solution corporate notices do not disclose the total contract value, cell shipment volume or the commercial exclusivity term.

For LG Energy Solution, the exclusive luxury contract anchors its pouch-cell business in the ultraluxury tier. Premium vehicle programs insulate cell margins from price erosion in mass-market electric vehicle categories.

Sourcing high-nickel NCM cells concentrates commodity exposure on refined nickel and cobalt markets. European battery rules require certified carbon accounting and supply-chain auditing for imported lithium cells.

Bentley selected Seoul for the regional debut because South Korea ranks among its most lucrative global markets. Wealthy buyers in metropolitan Seoul have adopted high-end electric imports faster than regional peers.

South Korea's Ministry of Environment and transport authorities will conduct range and energy-efficiency certification before retail distribution begins. Cold-weather testing could yield a domestic range rating below the European WLTP figure.

Bentley Motors Korea scheduled first customer deliveries for late 2027. Showroom reservation deposits opened immediately following the Seoul presentation, with initial European allocations shipping several months prior.