Bentley unveils Torcal, its first EV: 888 PS, 375 miles of range

This story is about a new luxury electric SUV, not a home energy upgrade, but it touches on charging costs at home. Bentley has unveiled its first fully electric vehicle, called the Torcal, an SUV built in England with up to 888 PS (876 horsepower) and a range of up to 375 miles on the WLTP test cycle, a European standard that tends to run higher than US EPA estimates. It uses a 113 kWh battery pack backed by a 10-year, 100,000-mile warranty, and can charge from 10 to 80 percent in about 16 minutes at speeds up to 400 kW, when using a fast enough charger. Bentley has not announced pricing or a delivery date.

For most homeowners this is simply industry news about a very expensive, very powerful SUV entering the electric vehicle market. The practical takeaway, if you already own or plan to buy any EV, is that charging costs depend heavily on your electricity rate. Pairing an EV with home solar can lower or nearly eliminate charging costs, and with electricity rates rising, some homeowners look into solar leases or power purchase agreements that require no upfront cost. If you are weighing that option for your own house, it is worth comparing quotes from multiple installers rather than signing with the first one you find, since prices for home solar systems can vary significantly between companies.