Luxury car maker Bentley has confirmed it will release a plug-in hybrid version of the Bentayga SUV in 2018, which will see an electric motor connected to a supercharged 3.0-litre V6 engine.

Bentley is owned by Volkswagen, which also owns the Audi brand, so it seems the company is looking to make its gas-guzzling SUVs, including the Q7, more environmentally friendly.

The plug-in hybrid version of the Bentayga should have a power output of around 410bhp, which is somewhat less than the combustion engine version. But the new model will have the option of running in a zero emission mode, something the trees will thank you for as you drive around in a £200,000 mansion on wheels.

Design-wise, the Bentayga plug-in hybrid will be virtually indistinguishable from its combustion engine sibling, with the only discernable difference being a port to plug in a charger to top up the lithium-ion battery.

The greener Bentayga will go into production next year, with pricing and availability yet to be announced. Speaking to Autocar, Bentley's CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer said the company plans to have a plug-in hybrid version of all of the cars it produces.