It’s not too often that green driving and big luxury SUVs are spoken in the same sentence. But British luxury brand Bentley is keen on expanding its presence in the green vehicle market with a plan to offer electrified versions of its current models over the next few years. This is especially true with the Bentayga SUV, which has rapidly become a key seller for Bentley. The current generation Bentayga Hybrid is no exception, and Bentley is determined to help the Bentayga PHEV stay fresh against a growing roster of electrified rivals. To help achieve that, it has unveiled the 2021 model which brings new technology and styling to green-focused shoppers.
Falling in Line With Its Siblings
Bentley designers already facelifted both the standard Bentayga and the range-topping Bentayga Speed models a short while ago, and it’s no surprise that the Bentayga Hybrid benefits from the same round of updates. That includes revised exterior styling headlined by a reworked front end with rounded headlights, a new side profile with larger fender vents, as well as new oval-shaped taillights and exhaust tips that help the big utility fall in line with Bentley’s current design language which made its first appearance on the Continental.
Bentayga Hybrid Still Retains The Performance Essentials
Bentley did not reveal EPA figures for all-electric driving but confirmed that the Bentayga PHEV is still capable of achieving 31-miles of range in NEDC testing. That should translate to about 18-miles in EPA math, which is what the 2020 model had to begin with.
While that figure may seem a bit meager at first glance, Bentley revealed that its internal studies showed that almost 100-percent of current Bentayga Hybrid owners use EV mode on a regular basis, with half of those owners taking journeys of 30-miles or less. The Bentayga plug-in hybrid has a 31-mile all-electric range. This adds up in a big way, with Bentley revealing a 67 percent increase in zero-emissions during 600 plus mile tests in San Francisco.
The electric motor is powered by a 17.3 kWh lithium-ion battery pack which can go up to 100,000 miles before it needs to be replaced.
The Bentayga Hybrid also comes with the Bentley Hybrid Efficiency Navigation System which is designed to help drivers maintain maximum efficiency. The system creates a pressure point in the accelerator pedal when the Bentayga is in EV Drive mode. This helps create a tactile boundary between the EV and the Hybrid driving modes and encourages the driver to stay in EV mode for as long as possible.
Part of a Broader Plan
Bentley did not reveal pricing for the 2021 Bentayga Hybrid, but confirmed that it’s available to order now from showrooms. The revised hybrid will be one of two PHEVS that Bentley will be releasing this year, and a key step in its Beyond 100 strategy. This strategy aims to form the backbone of Bentley’s green vehicle initiatives with the company offering electrified versions of all of its models by 2023.