It was inevitable, really. With Ferrari, McLaren and Porsche already adopting hybrid powertrains for the hypercar holy trinity, Bugatti's CEO Wolfgang has revealed that the Chiron's successor will also be electrified as battery and electric motor technology continues to evolve. "Electrification will happen," he said in an interview with Autocar. "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, I think – but electrification will happen." Originally, Bugatti was considering utilizing hybrid technology for the Chiron to extract more power from its W16 engine to ensure that it surpassed the Veyron. In the end, the Chiron's phenomenal performance was achieved by upgrading the engine's components, allowing its W16 8.0-liter engine to pump out 1,479-horsepower and 1,180 lb-ft of torque without electrification. Dürheimer believes the Chiron represents the pinnacle of pure mechanical performance, and that there "will probably never be a car with the pure mechanical capabilities of the Chiron."

Electrification is therefore the next logical step to push the limits even further. "The fact is that it may never be beaten in pure mechanical terms makes it incredibly desirable," he said. Dürheimer is even considering buying one himself, since the Chiron is likely to become a valuable collector's car in the future. Bugatti is planning to build 500 Chirons, 280 of which have already been sold. Don't expect to see the next Bugatti hypercar any time soon, however. Deliveries only recently started for the Chiron, which started production over 10 years after the original Veyron. Dürheimer also revealed that Bugatti is considering introducing a second model to its line-up before replacing the Chiron.

"We are looking at what customers want if we do something different, and we have some ideas," he said. "But we are not under pressure to decide – production of the Chiron is expected to last for around eight years. We are at the predevelopment phase, preparing technically and asking clients what they expect." Should the second Bugatti model launch in 2024 when production for the Chiron finishes, we may not see the Chiron's successor until 2032.