Koenigsegg has all sorts of fresh performance tricks stuffed up its sleeve. Not only does the Swedish supercar firm produce some of the world’s fastest (and most expensive) automobiles, but it also likes to dabble in all manner of alternative power generation technology. Does anyone recall our 3-cylinder focus feature on the Freevalve Camless Engine that Koenigsegg has been backing since the early 2000s? Pretty wild stuff.

But for as fantastic as this crafty little powerplant appears on paper, it only produces a “puny” 600 ponies or so on pump gas. Furthermore, it’s hard to imagine Bruce Wayne rolling up to the gala in his triple-pistoned supercar. We all know that multi-millionaire playboys don’t drive anything with fewer than eight cylinders, and Koenigsegg has acknowledged this fact.

That’s why on July 10th of 2023, Koenigsegg sent out a press release about the Gemera “megacar.” A news blast that would send the automotive media into a frenzy, and cause the world’s upper echelon of the elite to rub their bejeweled hands in glee.

The world’s first 4-seater “Megacar” was not only going to get an all-new, optional top-tier engine upgrade, but upon being put into production, this powerplant would turn the Gemera into the world’s most powerful automobile.

Skeptical? Don’t be. This one’s been years in the making, and apparently, Koenigsegg now has the patents to back it all up.

The Gemera HV8 is not only the most powerful and extreme production car on the planet Earth, with an astonishing 1,11 hp per kg, but it is also the most practical and user-friendly sports car ever created. — Christian Koenigsegg

If this engine name sounds familiar, it’s probably because you read about the twin-turbo Jesko V8 engine before it was what is today. This was the engine that turned the Agera into a record-setting sensation back in the day. Photo Credit: Engineering Explained/YouTube

It’s Gettin’ Hot in Here

Christian Koenigsegg claims that the camless Freevalve 3-cylinder engine, or “Tiny Friendly Giant” (TFG) as it is more commonly called, will still be offered as the base-grade powerplant. However, there are those of us who remain skeptical as to whether or not this brilliantly bizarre little engine will ever see full-scale production. As I mentioned earlier, supercar shoppers rarely go for the weakest engine available, and Koenigsegg knows this better than anyone.

So to help give the world’s elite the high-horsepower kicks that they crave, the Swedish supercar firm took the Hot-V engine out of its Jesko supercar, or HV8 as it is also known, and reconstructed it with extreme speed and efficiency in mind.

Photo Credit: Engineering Explained/YouTube

Over the years, Koenigsegg transformed the HV8 engine into a far more capable contraption than what was originally implemented. One that can rev higher, run on E85 as needed, and packs three fuel injectors per cylinder. An engine that now sports things like tumble flow intake ports, a compressed air system for zero turbo lag, ceramic-coated pistons, a flat-plane crank, and individual pressure sensors for superior engine timing and easier tuning. Of particular interest is the HV8’s crankshaft. Weighing in at just 12.5 kilograms, this is the world’s lightest V8 crankshaft.

The result is a 1,500 horsepower V8 that produces 1,106 pound-feet of twist when pushed appropriately. Throw in Koenigsegg’s latest 600kW electrical motor, and suddenly you’ve got 2,300 horsepower, and the makings for a new world record for production vehicle power figures. Oh, and don’t fret all ye drag racing fans, for as you shall soon see, there are 2,028 ticks of torque to tap into at 5,000 rpm once that hybrid motor configuration is activated.

Dark Matter and Power Delivery Options Galore

According to Koenigsegg’s Gemera webpage, the electrical end of the car’s powerband comes from its latest and greatest “Dark Matter E-Motor.” A power bank that according to Koenigsegg is “the world’s most powerful automotive-grade E-motor.”

Weighing in at just 39 kilograms, this 6-phase motor instantaneously produces a potent 800 horsepower and about 922 pound-feet of torque. Referred to as a “Raxial Flux” configuration, this type of electric motor can seamlessly shift between radial and axial duties up until it hits its max RPM range of 8500. At this point the HV8 engine takes over and everyone on board reaches for a fresh pair of undies.

Photo Credit: Koenigsegg

But in order to get to that point, some seriously slick power delivery methods must be mastered. And while we could go into great detail about how Koenigsegg has developed multiple ways to recharge the onboard battery system, we find it far more fun to talk about power delivery instead. Just know that any time you aren’t at full throttle in this machine the battery pack will be recharging. So unless you are on the salt flats setting a new land speed record you have nothing to worry about in the battery bank department.

Essentially, Koenigsegg’s design allows the car’s clutch packs that are running off the EV motor to activate the V8 engine, but only at a certain speed. At which point the gas-burner takes over the rear-wheel portion of the powerband, and away you go.

Whereas FWD mode is purely an EV affair, the RWD assist option is applied only when more power or extra torque vectoring is required out back. As for the car’s AWD mode, that is split between an all-electric front and a V8-powered rear. Being that most supercar drivers aren’t just running on their front hubs for shits-n’-giggles, the on-board electrical system serves as more of a torque vectoring power-adder than a dedicated EV system.

Photo Credit: Koenigsegg

And for those of you who are wondering what fuel efficiency ratings look like on this beast, Engineering Explained broke down the math for us per usual, and it’s pretty wild how thirsty that HV8 truly is when pushed to the max.

Hypothetically speaking, powering the Gemera exclusively on V8 power alone would result in the car only being able to be driven for 14 minutes at full throttle before exhausting its fuel supplies. That may not sound like much, but in all seriousness, who in their right mind is going to be using that much power continuously for that long?!

The Light Speed Tourbillon Transmission (LSTT) actually wraps around the electric motor and is solely responsible for allowing the motor to be shoehorned into the Gemera’s engine compartment. Photo Credit: Koenigsegg

A Few Final Finishing Touches

Unlike the original press release for the Gemera that was made public back in 2020, this new design does away with the trio of Quarks E-motors and the Direct Drive system entirely. Apparently, a single “Dark Matter” electric motor paired with that “Light Speed Tourbillon Transmission” (LSTT) not only makes more power, but also allows a lighter, smaller, and more engaging drivetrain to be utilized.

Additionally, the introduction of the HV8  into the Koenigsegg Gemera was only made possible thanks to the streamlined layout of the LSTT. This could be done only after Koenigsegg’s engineers converted the Jesko V8 into a hot V8 configuration, and piped the exhaust straight out the top of the car. For nothing says “megacar” quite like exhaust flames spewing from the rear of your roofline.