Coming this way: The Electric Bentley

With the introduction of more and more hybrid cars, our transition to electric power is gaining momentum. The Flying Spur, Flying Spur Azure and Flying Spur Mulliner are now all available as hybrids, as is the Flying Spur S – the first Bentley S model to feature a powertrain of this kind.   

With a 2.9 litre petrol engine and a 100 kW electric motor,these cars can travel at motorway speeds using just electric power – and they can accelerate from zero to 60 mph in just 4.1 seconds.

The Bentayga Azure*, S** and Bentayga are all available with a hybrid powertrain, combining an electric motor with a 3.0 litre petrol engine. It can drive on electric power alone for up to 25 miles, making it perfect for the world’s most progressive cities. Together, these cars represent another milestone in our journey towards an electric future, while setting new standards for luxury hybrid vehicles.

*Bentayga Azure (hybrid) is available to order in most markets, but is currently not available in EU27, UK, Switzerland, Israel, Ukraine, Norway, Turkey and Vietnam.

**Bentayga S (hybrid) is available to order in most markets, but is currently not available in EU27, UK, Switzerland, Israel, Ukraine, Norway, Turkey and Vietnam.

Our current production facility in Crewe was certified carbon neutral by the Carbon Trust in 2020, before any other UK luxury car factory. That certification followed 20 years of hard work, for advances including:

• A 10,000 solar panel carport (on top of 20,000 solar panels we had already installed)

• A shift to using renewable-only energy sources

• Water recycling in the paint shop

• Tree planting in the local area

• Introducing on-site beehives and wildflower meadows, boosting biodiversity

• A commitment to cutting the factory’s environmental impact by 75% by 2025.

We are now in the process of creating a next-generation ‘Dream Factory’. This digital, flexible and high-value manufacturing facility will ensure that neither our cars nor our production processes affect the environment adversely.

Find out more about Bentley's Beyond100 commitments.

The countdown to the first fully electric Bentley is part of a bigger picture, in which we are striving to achieve better environmental performance for all Bentleys – past, present and future. For cars on the road today, we are working on greener alternatives to petrol. To test the effectiveness of a candidate based on waste straw, a prototype Flying Spur Hybrid recently drove right around Iceland, powered only by clean electricity and the new fuel. CO2 emissions were cut by 45% over the course of the adventure on a well-to-wheels basis, making the project a resounding success.

Cleaner EVs are possible
Even electric vehicles can be made less damaging to the environment – which is why we are investing heavily in this area. The RaRE project (Rare-earth Recycling for E-machines) explores how discarded magnetic material can be used to make new, recyclable magnets. OCTOPUS (Optimised Components, Test and simulatiOn, toolkits for Powertrains that integrate Ultra high-speed motor Solutions) aims to create a fully integrated e-axle without any rare-earth magnets at all. An initial investigation has already delivered a breakthrough, beating standard permanent magnet motor performance. The aim now is to make it both cost-effective and fully recyclable.

A vision of the future
This is all part of a vision for the future of luxury mobility that was demonstrated in a Bentley concept car revealed in 2019. Created to mark Bentley’s Centenary, the EXP 100 GT represented a showcase of the innovative ideas that will define sustainable luxury in the years to come. Designed to stimulate all the senses, it can be considered a proving ground for new features, many of which are now appearing in our production cars.

Learn more about the EXP100GT.

The launch of our Beyond100 strategy marked the beginning of a journey – a journey that is now gathering pace. We remain on track to achieve all the goals we have set so far, so to follow our progress and be among the first to know when we reach each new milestone, please sign up below.