Bentley usually isn’t the car company you think of when it comes to saving the planet from CO2 emissions. Tesla, Chevrolet, or Subaru, maybe, but when it comes to Bentley, you usually picture big, luxurious barges of extravagance powered by something with so many cylinders that you need a calculator to count all of them.
However, the company is trying hard to reverse this mental image. From their work on making hybrid cars and SUVs, to their eco-friendly leather research, to their Continental GT3 Pikes Peak race car that runs on renewable biofuel, Bentley is certainly trying to appeal to a younger and more liberal audience.
Now, they have made another step forward in the marathon toward renewable fuel sources with their Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid. They managed to cross the entirety of Iceland using only geothermal energy and biofuel made of waste straw. This was yet another experiment they have done to research biofuels that can be used without engine modifications.
The straw used to fuel the car is 100% waste, meaning no growing was required to obtain it. This specific fuel was also used to power the Bentley’s 850 horsepower Pikes Peak race car mentioned before.
On the 455 mile trek, the car didn’t need to stop for fuel once, which is a major upside when comparing biofuels to electric cars, even if ranges are growing. Even better, the car emitted 45 percent less CO2 than compared to a normal internal combustion car making the same trip.
More about the car: the Bentley Flying Spur Hybrid is powered by a seemingly small 2.9-liter V6 engine with an electric motor. In all, they generate a surprisingly potent 536 hp and 553 lb-ft of torque. With the instant power provided by an electric motor propelling the luxurious barge, it can hit 60 mph in a brisk 4.1 seconds, which is certainly impressive in a car that can weigh up to 6680 pounds when loaded.
Overall, the biofuel powered car seems intriguing, especially considering that some of the materials needed to make the fuel are waste and could be acquired for a very low cost. However, I’m not sure the creation process is refined enough for a significant number of people to start using it on a daily basis. It will certainly be interesting to watch in the coming years.
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