Renewably-Fuelled Bentayga EWB Sets a New Trailer-Blazing Record at Goodwood

Bentley’s renewably-powered showcase at Goodwood Festival of Speed opened in dramatic fashion with the announcement of a new, albeit unofficial, hill climb record.

July 14th, 2023
All modern Bentleys running on the hill climb at the Goodwood Festival of Speed were using renewable fuel, meaning an 85 per cent reduction in carbon emissions on a well-to-wheels basis. The second generation biofuel powering does not require any modifications to the engine or vehicle and conforms to the global EN228 standard for gasoline, meaning it’s a straightforward replacement for normal pump fuel.
A Bentayga EWB, Bentley’s newest flagship, completed the hill climb at speed in just 1 minute 21 seconds – impressive enough, but made even more surprising by the fact it was towing 2.5 tonnes of straw in a specially-prepared Ifor Williams trailer. For safety reasons, the run was completed ahead of the start of the Festival of Speed, during the ‘build phase’ of the event, meaning the record time is not official.
The 2.5 tonnes of straw hauled to the top of the hill is enough to create 1,100 miles-worth of fuel that the Bentayga EWB, and indeed all Bentleys, can run on without modification. Unlike first-generation biofuels, which are made from food crops grown on arable land, second-generation biofuels use waste products, including agriculture and forestry waste and food industry by-products. In using waste materials that would otherwise be disposed of, second-generation biofuel avoids the ‘food versus fuel’ dilemma associated with first-generation biofuels.