Bentley will reportedly introduce the Bentayga Plug-in Hybrid at the 88th Geneva International Motor Show in March.
According to Automotive News Europe, the arrival of Bentley's first electrified vehicle will signal the beginning of the luxury automaker's plan to offer more eco-friendly powertrain options to consumers. Last year, Bentley's now-former CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer said that all of their models would receive a plug-in hybrid option "in the next few years."
As for their first foray into the hybrid car segment, the Bentayga Plug-in Hybrid is expected to use the same powertrain as the Porsche Panamera E-Hybrid. The latter is powered by a 326-horsepower 2.9-liter V6 engine and a 134-horsepower electric motor for a combined power output of 462 horsepower and 516 pound-feet of torque.
Power is sent to all four wheels via an eight-speed automatic transmission. The Panamera E-Hybrid's 14.1-kWh battery also provides an all-electric driving range of 30 miles.
The Bentayga Plug-in Hybrid is not expected to introduce any design changes when it arrives in the second half of 2018. However, it will incorporate a plug port that will allow users to charge the lithium-ion battery.
The eco-friendly version of the luxury SUV will follow the release of a new 4.0-liter twin-turbocharged V8 gasoline engine that is scheduled to arrive this month. Bentley has not confirmed the V8 gasoline engine's specs but it will most likely be a retuned version of the Porsche Cayenne Turbo, whose 4.0-liter unit delivers 550 horsepower and 567 pound-feet of torque.
Currently, the Bentayga is available with two powertrains. The first is a 6.0-liter W12 engine that produces 600 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque while the other is a 4.0-liter V8 diesel engine that delivers 429 horsepower and 664 pound-feet of torque. However, only the former is available in the United States.
Thankfully, U.S. customers can expect the arrival of both the V8 gasoline engine and the plug-in hybrid model.
