At this year’s Geneva motor show, Bentley ripped the covers off its first hybrid — the 2019 Bentley Bentayga hybrid. According to Bentley, this ultra-luxe green machine is, not surprisingly, its most efficient model ever. The company insists the plug-in hybrid powertrain won’t water down the Bentayga experience. Furthermore, Bentley says it’s just as luxurious as the rest of the Bentayga lineup. Judging from the interior, we agree.
Underneath the Bentayga’s hood is a gas-burning, turbocharged 3.0-liter V6, which works with the hybrid driveline to make a currently undisclosed amount of power. We imagine the Bentayga hybrid will hold its own but be down on power compared with the W12 and V8 variants. Bentley did give some stats about the new hybrid — namely, range. The hybrid Bentayga is good for a range of around 31 miles from a full charge. The company says it’ll take 7.5 hours to charge it from a normal 110-volt socket, but it takes just 2.5 hours with a 220-volt charging station.
Speaking of charging, you won’t have to sacrifice your home’s elegant decor with the same system perched by your neighbor’s driveway. Designed by Philippe Starck, Bentley Bentayga hybrid owners’ optional charger uses “sustainable and elegant materials,” which means in addition to looking totally posh, your device will be as environmentally friendly as the SUV it electronically replenishes.
Inside the hybrid is about the same as a run-of-the-mill Bentayga. The minor differences are due to some extra buttons to help manage the electric drivetrain and a different layout for the gauge cluster to accommodate the battery’s information.
If you want one of these Bentayga hybrids, Bentley plans to let them loose onto the world in the second half of this year, but we doubt you’ll see them at dealers before the fall. There’s no word on price, but as the old adage goes — if you have to ask …
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