Bugatti CEO Wolfgang Dürheimer has revealed that the next-gen Chiron, expected to arrive sometime around 2032, will use electricity in some form to enhance performance. Last year Dürheimer mentioned that Bugatti had been considering hybridisation as a way of generating more power from the W16 engine for the current Chiron, though they finally opted for upgrading many of the engine’s components instead to get the required power.
Speaking to our sister publication Autocar UK, Dürheimer said, “Electrification will happen. The next car is a long way from being developed, but the way battery and electric motor technology is moving on – as well as regulations – it seems certain that the next car will be electrified in some way. It will still be too soon for a full electric car…”
The current Chiron is powered by an 8.0-litre, quad-turbocharged W16 petrol engine, capable of producing upto 1,500hp of power and 1,598Nm of torque. Despite weighing 1,995kg, the car can hit a top speed of 420kph and can accelerate 0-100kph in less than 2.5sec.
However, the Chiron’s replacement might not follow directly after today’s Chiron. Dürheimer has hinted that the firm is considering introducing an altogether different model first, around 2024. It will likely be a high-performance vehicle that offers a little bit more practicality than the record-breaking Veyron and Chiron.