Now that it is no longer chasing the production car speed crown, there are whispers Bugatti will add a more comfortable, more practical model to its lineup.

It may even be a battery-powered model, Bugatti CEO Stephan Winkelmann suggested in a March 6 interview with Bloomberg.

“There, I would see us doing a battery-electric vehicle,” Winkelmann said when quizzed about a second model to join the current Chiron hypercar. “There, the balance between performance and comfort is much more important, and it’s about daily usability. This is what I see.”

2020 Porsche Taycan spy shots

2020 Porsche Taycan spy shots

The sleuths at CAR have since discovered that Bugatti's next model will be an electric super sedan due around 2023. It will reportedly be based on the J1 platform developed by Porsche for the Taycan and also earmarked for Audi's e-tron GT, though Bugatti is said to be eying a stretched version of the platform to ensure its sedan doesn't crimp on space.

By holding back the car until 2023, Bugatti may be able to employ solid-state batteries, which promise greater range and shorter charge times than the liquid-type batteries used today. Audi's PB18 concept shown last year featured a 95-kilowatt-hour solid-state battery.

CAR in its Monday report suggested that Bugatti could use the Royale name for its EV. While this rumor is a bit sketchy, the Royale name does have a basis in Bugatti history. The Type 41, commonly known as the Royale, was a 21-foot-long, 7,000-pound, 12.7-liter inline-8 monster designed with the explicit premise of sales to royalty. Sadly, it was launched just prior to the Great Depression, meaning only six of a planned run of 25 cars ending up being built.

1932 Bugatti Royale (Type 41)

1932 Bugatti Royale (Type 41)