Bentley will launch a plug-in hybrid version of its Bentley Bentayga next year, using a supercharged 3.0-litre petrol V6 mated to an electric motor.
Bentley Bentayga hybrid revealed
The system, related to the one used in the Porsche Cayenne S E-Hybrid, is predicted to have a total output of more than 410bhp and feature a full-electric mode for zero-emission running. A latest spy video confirms this, with an EV Mode button placed underneath the main engine start/stop button.
Spotted testing on the continent, the plug-in Bentagya will feature no aesthetic changes to its pure-combustion-engined siblings, the twin-turbo V8 diesel and W12 petrol models, barring the addition of a plug port to charge its lithium-ion battery. This charging port for the car is identically placed on the opposite side to the petrol filler cap.
It’s due to make production next year, after the launch of the upcoming second-generation Continental GT. The plug-in drivetrain will broaden the appeal of the Bentayga - which has already enjoyed strong sales success with orders reaching their annual limit in the first year of production – particularly in markets where strict emissions limits are enforced.
Bentley CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer confirmed to Autocar earlier this year that all of the brand’s models would gain PHEV variants to address these scenarios. The company has also expressed interest in producing a fully-electric model; the first all-electric Bentley, which could go into production in two years, will be a medium-sized sports car. It wil be the fifth model in the brand's line-up.
Read more
Why the Bentley Bentayga needs more variants, according to boss Durheimer
Bentley Bentayga diesel road trip - sacrilege or common sense?
