Chiron

Make
Bugatti
Segment
Coupe

In July 2021, Bugatti Rimac CEO Mate Rimac went on record saying that "within this decade, there will be a fully electric Bugatti." But in a recent interview with German publication Automobilwoche, the Croatian genius has apparently backtracked on that claim, saying that a pure-electric Bugatti is not part of its 10-year plan. Hip hip!

As if that wasn't good enough news, the charismatic CEO has also announced that a Bugatti SUV is not happening within that timeframe either, although he had said in August last year that such a thing may be in the works. We're not complaining one bit.

The news comes shortly after Mr. Rimac announced that his eponymous electric hypercar manufacturer would not be going the SUV route either, even though numerous creators of high-end exotica will be. The Ferrari Purosangue will join the likes of the Lamborghini Urus and Aston Martin DBX in the SUV segment next week, and McLaren's new CEO calls it a "very attractive" market.

This news may come as something of a surprise, but that doesn't mean that a Bugatti SUV won't be breaking the internet come 2033. Speaking of, this is around the time when European Union emissions regulations kick into high gear, so why won't there be a Bugatti EV by then?

In an earlier interview with Top Gear, Mate Rimac said that creating a Bugatti-bodied Nevera would have been the easiest thing to achieve. In fact, the management of Porsche and Volkswagen were adamant that Bugatti must make the change, but he fought "furiously" with them in "really heated arguments" to keep the combustion engine alive. Clearly, Mr. Rimac understands that the appeal of the Bugatti Chiron and other models lies in more than just their sheer acceleration and power. The engine is a monument to combustion unlike any other, and Bugatti prides itself on being incomparable to other automakers. However, as the reveal of the W16 Mistral made clear, it's now time for the enormous engine to accept its fate and prepare for the scrapyard in the sky.

Returning to the interview with Autobmobilwoche, Mate Rimac has promised that the Chiron's successor will have a "very attractive combustion engine," but what sort remains a mystery. A bespoke, all-new unit would fit with the Bugatti image, but it's quite possible that something from within the Volkswagen Group may be repurposed for use in the all-new hypercar. Either way, this new powerplant will be "heavily electrified" to keep up with those pesky emissions standards. But because of Rimac's expertise in the field of electrification, the Chiron replacement is targeting at least 50 kilometers (31 miles) of electric range so that the well-heeled can still enjoy their multi-million dollar Bugattis in European city centers. We hope to learn more soon, but the debut of the all-new hypercar is only expected in 2024.