[ĐÁNH GIÁ XE] Bentayga Hybrid 2021 - Bentley's first step for a green future

Not only focusing on luxury and class, the 2021 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid is now more fuel efficient and environmentally friendly – the first step for the future of electrification of the entire product line of the British super luxury car company.

As is known, Bentley has set a goal of eliminating the entire product line using traditional internal combustion engines, replacing them with electric vehicles as early as 2030. The British luxury car company’s first electrified product – the Bentayga Hybrid SUV, is considered the first step towards that goal.

This super luxury SUV comes with a 3.0L turbocharged V6 engine combined with a 96 kW electric motor for a total capacity of 443 horsepower and maximum torque of 700 Nm. The car still uses an 8-speed automatic transmission like other versions. In the new generation, the 2021 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid now has an improved electrical system, giving the car a maximum range of up to 50 km in fully electric mode, nearly doubling the figure of 28.9 km in the previous version.

Regular Bentayga cars are not inherently light and the addition of a 210 kg battery located under the car floor makes the Bentayga Hybrid the heaviest version ever produced with an estimated weight of up to 2.7 tons. Obviously, this also has a significant impact on the car’s performance, most clearly shown in acceleration – the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid 2021 takes up to 5.2 seconds to reach a speed of 100 km/h from a standstill. For comparison, the Bentayga internal combustion engine version with a V8 engine completes the 0 – 100 km/h sprint in 4.5 seconds. Bentley said the electric motor on the 2021 Bentayga Hybrid can operate well at a speed of 135 km/h as long as the internal combustion engine is also in operating state.

The visual changes of the 2021 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid compared to the V8 and W12 versions are minor, including a small Hybrid badge on the side of the car and a charging port located on the left rear wheel arch. Inside, the Hybrid version still possesses the pure luxury and class of a Bentayga, with a 10.9-inch central screen compatible with Apple CarPlay/Android Auto, high-quality leather spread throughout the interior compartment and many sophisticated, expensive materials. Notably, the drive mode selector switch is now integrated into the center console, while the digital instrument display provides further insight into the status of the powertrain.

Not exceeding expectations, the 2021 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid shows a confident demeanor with smooth, quiet operation when electric mode is activated. Acceleration feels impressive when traveling in urban areas, but on the highway is a completely different story. If only using the electric motor and disabling the 3.0L V6 turbocharged engine, trying to push the car to a maximum speed of 135 km/h requires patience from the driver. This is obviously not something really to worry about, especially when we are talking about a super luxury SUV weighing nearly 3 tons driven by a single 94 kW (~ 126 horsepower) electric motor. The accelerator pedal has good feedback and automatically becomes harder in case the electric motor is operating at full capacity. Of course, the driver can still step on the accelerator pedal even harder, this will “wake up” the V6 engine block.

Activating Hybrid mode, Bentayga will automatically optimize the electric motor’s powertrain support. Specifically, the 2021 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid still prioritizes running purely on electricity at low speeds as long as the battery is fully charged, while the V6 engine block will always be ready whenever the driver needs to accelerate. Of course, the complete “awakening” of this powerful V6 engine is not an instantaneous process, it is estimated to take about 1 second from the time the driver steps on the accelerator until the engine makes a powerful sound and begins to provide traction. Bentley Bentayga Hybrid appears to be relatively quiet when traveling at low speeds, but you should know that under the hood is a 3.0L V6 turbocharged engine that is always waiting to roar whenever it approaches the redline of the engine rpm.

The standard air suspension system still works very well on the heavier 2021 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid, providing smooth and comfortable journeys. Because it is not equipped with an active anti-roll control system using a 48-volt electric motor like the sports versions, the Bentley Bentayga Hybrid often experiences body tilt and instability when cornering. However, the cabin always ensures the highest level of comfort thanks to the excellent vibration control ability of pneumatic dampers.

Theoretically, owners will definitely consider buying a hybrid version to optimize fuel economy and reduce operating costs. However, in fact we are talking about a super luxury SUV from the UK – Bentley Bentayga. Therefore, operating or fuel costs are no longer so meaningful to wealthy owners. However, Bentley’s first electrified version, the Bentayga Hybrid, still deserves to be welcomed, because it will be the first step in changing the habits of VIP guests and opening a new journey for the British car company.

Quang Hung (Tuoitrethudo)

According to: Caranddriver