CAN ELECTRICITY GIVE THE CHIRON AN EXTRA EDGE?

Can an electrified car be quicker than an internally combusted one? Of course it can. But there are two things to note. First, an electric motor delivers all of its oomph from zero revs. Terrific for acceleration but not so good for top speed because torque tails off as speed rises. But with gearing, and because it’s supplementing an engine, you can work around that.

Harder to work with is the fact that electrification is heavy. The Chiron already weighs 1995kg because, when it makes so much power and torque via an internalcombustion engine, it needs a weapons-grade transmission and super-strength cooling.

A pure EV would do away with the need for much of that. But adding performance-enhancing batteries and an electric motor to a car that already has powerful, heavy mechanicals is the double whammy. It’s going to need battery tech and material use of the kind we’ve never seen.