Bentley Bentayga Hybrid Offers Less Highway MPG Than V8 Model

While some degree of valueless virtue signaling accompanied the launch of Toyota’s Prius, most hybrid customers are an exceptionally practical lot. Fixated on the long game, they’re willing to weigh the added cost of supplemental electrification against an uptick in efficiency — attempting to calculate the duration of ownership required before they can start raking in the savings. However, the math doesn’t always work out like you’d think.

Recently assessed by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), the 2020 Bentley Bentayga Hybrid may not be the model for high-end customers looking to maximize their fuel economy. According to Green Car Reports, which obsessively tracks all things electric, Bentley’s Hybrid is actually less efficient on the highway and boasts a shorter maximum range than its V8 alternative.

The EPA rates the hybrid model at 17 mpg city, 21 highway. While the more-expensive V8 only manages 14 mpg around town, its highway economy is superior.

From Green Car Reports:

In hybrid mode, it achieves EPA ratings of 17 mpg city, 21 highway, and 19 combined. Just looking at combined ratings, it’s the member of the Bentayga lineup getting the best mileage. But looking at highway figures — where you’re hoping a plug-in hybrid will deliver good efficiency, after its charge is depleted — the $156,900 Bentayga Hybrid is outdone by the $171,025 Bentayga V8, which gets 23 mpg highway.

Combustion engine cranking, the Bentayga V8 also has about 100 more hp than the Hybrid, and accelerates nearly a second quicker to 60 mph. It might also, from what we hear, sound better. It also has a longer EPA-rated highway range — of 518 miles, versus 430 for the Hybrid (including a charge and a full tank).

Over the last few years, engineers from several automakers have told me they’re becoming convinced there is a law of diminishing returns when it comes to battery technology (one reason why the industry keeps funding its evolution). While incredibly high development costs play a factor, they’re actually more concerned with weight. The more mass a vehicle possess (or has to lug around as cargo), the bigger its battery pack has to be to ensure a useful range — adding more weight.

At 5,776 pounds, the Bentayga Hybrid is almost 500 lbs heavier than the turbocharged V8 model when both are equipped to allow room for five (the V8 can be optioned to seat seven occupants). Combined, its 3.0-liter V6 and hybrid E-Drive system make 443 bhp with peak torque coming in at 516 lb-ft. Meanwhile, the standalone 4.0-liter V8 delivers 542 bhp and 568 foot-pounds.

It’s probably wise Bentley priced the V8 so much higher than the hybrid. With the exception of offering roughly a dozen miles of electric-only driving before requiring a recharge, the hybrid powertrain doesn’t really offer anything unique. To get the most from it, one would also have to spend a large portion of their time below highways speeds. That might go over better in Europe, where destinations are typically closer (and where nations are discussing the eventual banning of exhaust emissions in urban areas, anyway). Meanwhile, well-heeled Americans would probably look at the Hybrid and shrug if it were a more mainstream car. But its status as a premium luxury item could make that irrelevant. Small as they will undoubtedly be, we’re curious to see how Bentayga sales progress this year.

Our advice to rich people? Just buy the 6.0-liter W12 version while you still can.

[Images: Bentley]