A prototype Bentley Flying Spur Plug-in Hybrid Electric Vehicle (PHEV) has driven 733km across Iceland in a single stint using only renewably-sourced electricity and biofuel.
The journey was a validation both of the new Flying Spur PHEV – the second to be launched following the Bentayga PHEV – and of Bentley’s research into biofuels that can be used without engine modification.
Bentley Motors says the fuel used conforms to the same EN228 standard as ordinary pump petrol, yet is created entirely from waste biomass (e.g. straw).
It says the Flying Spur Hybrid represents the brands next step on a journey to becoming the world’s most sustainable luxury mobility company, as laid out by the brand’s Beyond100 strategy.
The Flying Spur PHEV will be introducing to global markets in 2022. This will see all models in the range offered with a hybrid powertrain by 2024, ahead of the company’s first full BEV by 2025.
Renewable fuel defines a significant step towards reducing Bentley’s environmental impact and supporting the company’s sustainability targets. This Icelandic journey is the result of further development since the debut of renewable fuel for Bentley in the Continental GT3 race car at the Pikes Peak International Hill Climb in June 2021.
The 100% renewable, second generation biofuel was developed by Coryton, who is supporting Bentley in renewable fuel research. The production process sees waste biomass (e.g. straw) broken down using fermentation, leading to the creation of ethanol. Dehydration of the ethanol converts it to ethylene, which can then be transformed into gasoline through the process of oligomerisation – chaining short hydrocarbon molecules together to produce longer, more energy-dense ones.
The electricity used by the car’s hybrid system during the journey was sourced from Iceland’s 100% renewable grid. Iceland is a global leader in renewable energy production; 75 per cent of the country’s electrical energy is produced via Hydroelectric and 25 per cent from geothermal power. During its time in Iceland, the Flying Spur PHEV was charged with electricity from the Svartsengi geothermal power plant.
Bentley Motors says the new powertrain combines a 2.9-litre V6 petrol engine with an advanced electric motor, delivering a total of 536 bhp and 750 Nm (553 lb.ft) of torque – an additional 95 bhp in comparison to the Bentayga PHEV. The new Flying Spur becomes the most efficient Bentley yet having the capability to cover 700 km when fully fuelled.
It gives little away to the Flying Spur V8 in acceleration, passing 60 mph from a standstill in 4.1 seconds (0-100 km/h in 4.3 secs) according to Bentley Motors.
To provide further feedback to the driver, the driver instruments include additional information showing when the car is operating solely in EV drive, regenerating whilst deaccelerating or using the combustion engine.
Inside the cabin, the automatic Start-Stop switch has been replaced with a control for the three E Modes – EV Drive, Hybrid Mode and Hold Mode, enabling the driver to manage the battery usage during a journey. EV Drive mode is engaged as soon as the car is switched on.
The flow of energy can also be displayed via the infotainment screen where statistics can be seen and the timers for charging of the vehicle can be set. Additional e-motion information is available to the driver via the instrument panel, heads up display and centre screen, including range, battery level and charging information.
