Bentley Bentayga plug-in hybrid unveiled

Bentley's first electrified model, the Bentayga Hybrid, has been unveiled.

The plug-in hybrid variant of the Bentayga comes with a 3.0-litre turbocharged V6 petrol engine and an electric motor. The electric motor produces 126 BHP and 400 Nm and it also works as a power generator. The total torque output of the hybrid system is 700 Nm. Bentley claims that the 0-100 km/h time is 5.5 seconds and that the top speed is 254 km/h. In electric mode, the SUV has a WLTP-approved range of 39 km. The battery takes 2.5 hours to recharge. The carbon dioxide emissions are said to be 79 g/km. The Bentayga Hybrid is claimed to be the carmaker's most efficient model.

The SUV has three driving modes including EV Drive, which uses the electric motor to power the vehicle. In Hybrid mode, the car uses information from the navigation system to optimise power usage from the battery and the petrol engine and in Hold mode, engine and electric power are balanced to maintain electric range for later use. The SUV comes equipped with brake energy regeneration, which recharges the battery during deceleration. The navigation system also shows the maximum range in EV mode.

The Bentayga Hybrid is available in Europe and North America. In the UK, it is priced at GBP 1,33,100 and in the US, it is priced at US$ 1,60,000. Deliveries in Europe will begin in the final quarter of 2019, while deliveries in the US will begin in the first quarter of 2020.