The ultra-luxe British marque is cruising into an all-electric future.

Full electrification is in Bentley’s imminent future. The luxury British marque and world’s largest producer of 12-cylinder engines aims to be an all-electric brand by 2030, with the first Bentley EV set for a 2025 arrival. In the meantime, the crew in Crewe is taking a small step into its electrified future with their first Flying Spur Hybrid. 

On first inspection, it’s difficult to tell this Flying Spur is anything out of the norm for Bentley’s lineup. The lines of the body are gorgeous and elegant, the car feels heavy and well-built. As a passenger, the ultra-luxe interior remains quintessentially Bentley in its opulent offerings: massaging seats, rear touchscreen controls and incredible materials to wrap occupants in thoughtful comfort. 

The Odyssean Edition test driven for this article does include some exterior understatements like natural hues to the paintwork and trim that’s painted instead of chromed. These subtle touches are especially notable when compared to Bentley’s normally bolder offerings like the Bentayga, Continental and especially the unique Batur. 

Getting behind the driver’s seat is where the difference of the hybrid comes into full view. The hybrid engine works in several ways, each manually chosen by the driver. There’s a true hybrid mode,…