Bugatti developing battery-powered 800 hp supercar - but range might be minuscule

Bugatti Veyron Grand Sport – Click above for high-res image gallery

Battery-powered supercar introductions are becoming something of a regular occurrence at the Volkswagen Group. Last year Audi introduced the E-Tron at the Frankfurt Motor Show and now Bugatti is reported to be working on an even more powerful electric sports car and a development mule is reported to be running around based on a Bentley Continental chassis. The Bugatti is apparently powered by a pair of motors with a combined output of 800 horsepower and over 1,600 pound-feet of torque. It's not clear if that is the torque at the wheels (after going through the reduction gears) as it was with the E-Tron or the direct output.

It's not known if such a car will ever be built or if this development car is just a technology demonstrator. The problem with such a powerful car is range – or rather a lack of it. Power is the rate at which energy is converted. The more power you use, the faster the battery is depleted. In this case, full acceleration could drain the battery in just a few minutes, making it essentially useless. Fortunately, petroleum-powered Bugattis are built in such small numbers that their effect on the environment is absolutely negligible.