Bentayga Hybrid: Bentley Launches Its First-ever EV
Latest British-built model is priced at $160,000, with deliveries in America due in first quarter of 2020.
With the launch of the Bentayga Hybrid across Europe and North America, Bentley has introduced its first plug-in hybrid. The timing seems fitting, since this is Bentley’s centennial year, a time to look forward to the future as much as to reflect on the glories of the past. With the Bentayga Hybrid, Bentley have set the tone for the roll out of a hybrid version of each model in their range by 2023.Â
In the British brand’s centenary year, Bentley’s first plug-in hybrid model combines a new 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine with a state-of-the-art electric motor delivering an instantaneous response.
Bentayga Hybrid: Can it Compete with Porsche and Ferrari?
The luxury SUV marketplace is awash with new offerings from renowned sportscar and luxury sedan makers: where first there was only Cayenne, now there is Cullinan, and Urus. An SUV is forthcoming from Aston Martin, and even a Ferrari SUV seems under serious consideration. Can the Bentayga compete? Bentley thinks so, and so do we.
The Bentayga Hybrid’s turbocharged 3.0-l V6 gas engine allied to a state-of-the-art 94kW electric motor is tuned to deliver instantaneous response. The combination is good for a pavement-rippling 516 lb/ft of combined torque, which translates to a top speed of 158 miles per hour and a 0 to 60 mph time of 5.2 seconds.
Bentayga Hybrid: Bentley Goes High Tech
The Bentayga Hybrid utilises an E Motor, which acts as both an electric motor and a power generator. The Permanent Magnet Synchronous system offers 94 kW peak power and 400 Nm of torque, allowing swift, silent acceleration from stationary. The system provides instant torque response by eliminating engine turbo lag, while a state-of-the-art, high voltage battery is capable of recharging in just 2.5 hours.
The E Motor in the Bentayga Hybrid is combined with a new 3.0-litre, turbocharged V6 petrol engine. The result is a seamless driving experience that offers 700 Nm of combined torque, a top speed of 158 mph and 0-60 mph in 5.2 seconds.
Bentley’s latest Bentayga model has three hybrid drive modes. In “EV Drive: mode, the all-new hybrid is driven only with energy supplied from the battery to the wheels via the electric motor. In “Hybrid” mode, the car uses information from the navigation system to optimize power usage from the battery and the gas engine, giving maximum efficiency and range. In “Hold” mode, the use of engine and electric power is balanced to maintain electric range for later use – for example on arriving in a city. In all modes, energy is recovered to the battery through regeneration during deceleration.
With a total driving range of 464 miles and a WLTP Equivalent All Electric range of 24.23 miles (NEDC Electric Range of 31.7 miles) on a single charge, the hybrid represents a new dimension to the existing range of luxurious Bentayga models.
The new model is priced at $160,000 in the United States. Customer deliveries in the U.K. are set to begin in the final quarter of 2019, with deliveries in America following soon after, in the first quarter of 2020.
Photos: Bentley