Koenigsegg Gemera

On Tuesday afternoon, Koenigsegg once again got the car world roaring. The reason for this was the world premiere of their new Gemera on the stand of the dismantling Geneva International Motor Show (GIMS), which as we know was cancelled. It’s not so much the looks or the fact that Koenigsegg wants to bring a fully-fledged four-seater to the road for the first time, but rather the technical sophistication hidden under the carbon dress. After their Hyper-GT Regera, which has finally gone into series production last year, had already introduced the so-called ‘Direct Drive’ system, i.e. a drive without gearbox between motor and axle, the next step is now being taken. Strictly speaking, for a small brand like Koenigsegg it’s several steps at once. The four-seater Gemera is equipped with four-wheel steering and, for the first time in the brand’s history, four-wheel drive. The Swedes generate this through a special hybrid drive. Each of the two rear wheels have their own electric motor. A third electric motor drives the front axle together with a combustion engine.

And it is precisely this combustion engine that is a feast for the senses for technology fans. It sits behind the four passengers and in front of the rear axle, so it is a mid-engine layout. Its two-liter displacement is distributed over just three cylinders. However, these operate without camshafts and classic valves, but with the Freevalve technology developed and patented by Koenigsegg several years ago. They even founded an own subsidiary for this. Instead of the camshaft driven by belts or chain, an electrically controlled surge of compressed air opens the valves at the appropriate points in the combustion process. This allows each individual valve to be controlled individually and the best possible combustion process to be achieved under any load condition. Koenigsegg divides the exhaust gases of the Gemera engine into two manifolds, each of which contains a turbocharger. The Freevalve system allows them to keep one of these sides completely closed in the lower rev range, which means that the turbocharger on the other side gets up to speed much faster and provides boost pressure earlier. In total, this combustion engine alone delivers up to 600 hp and 600 newtonmeters of torque. In addition to petrol, it can also run on E85, E100 (pure ethanol) or methanol, for example the CO2 neutral Vulcanol fuel. Internally, Koenigsegg calls the engine the TFG (Tiny Friendly Giant) because it weighs just 70 kilograms. Together with the Slovakian company Akrapovic, they are developing an exhaust system that elicits sporty sounds from the three-cylinder engine.

Up to a speed of 300 kph (186 mph) the Gemera can be accelerated purely electrically. For this purpose, a flat 800-volt battery pack is located in the floor of the vehicle, which under normal driving conditions allows a range of up to 50 kilometers. In hybrid operation, the range increases to 1,000 kilometers. The battery can be charged while driving or at charging points and sockets. Together with the combustion engine, the three electric motors provide a total output of 1,700 hp or the equivalent of 1.27 megawatts. The maximum torque is multiplied by their new HydraCoup system on the axles and thus reaches a value of up to 3,500 newtonmeters during acceleration. Koenigsegg therefore promises a new record acceleration time for a four-seater from 0 to 62 mph: 1.9 seconds. Acceleration from a standing start to 400 kph (248.5 mph) could also be over in a record time. Anyone slightly familiar with the Swedish brand knows that a test drive will be undertaken as soon as possible to prove this, as has been done with the Agera RS and Regera before. Like the Regera, the Gemera does without a classic gearbox. So the acceleration is done without interruption of tractive power by shifting gears. In addition, the four-seater has a torque vectoring system between all four wheels.

The name ‘Gemera’ comes from the Swedish words ‘ge’, which means ‘to give’, and ‘mera’, meaning ‘more’. This name came up when company founder Christian von Koenigsegg talked about his new ideas with his family and his mother Brita von Koenigsegg had the idea to combine these two words. For many years, actually since he became a father himself, Christian has wanted to share the sports car feeling with more than one person at the same time. However, he initially felt that the technology wasn’t yet at the level he needed for his ideas back then. With the now presented Gemera, which is scheduled to go into production in 2022, he was now able to realize many innovations ideas. In terms of design, he basically remained true to the typical Koenigsegg design language, but also created new details to equip the brand for the future. Some viewers already spoke of the Mega-GT as probably the “most beautiful Porsche that never came from Zuffenhausen”. In fact, the front and rear remind a little of products of the German sports car brand without copying them. Even the typical dihedral-synchro-helix Koenigsegg doors, which swing outwards and at the same time forward, are installed at this vehicle. Like at the Regera and Jesko, they open and close electrically at the touch of a button. Sensors ensure that they don’t hit a high edge on the floor or a low garage ceiling. Instead of classic exterior mirrors, the Gemera is available with two rear view cameras and corresponding displays on the dashboard in countries that already allow camera systems instead of mirrors.

Inside there are four full-size seats with ample legroom. Each of these seats has two cupholders, one heated and one cooled. This is achieved by a heat exchanger module between them. In the first and second row there is a large central display. In the front it is used for all relevant information and comfort options such as Apple CarPlay and in the rear it can show films, for example, while the car is moving. Of course, the car comes with wireless charging stations for smartphones, which can also be integrated into the infotainment system using the onboard wifi. The most important information such as speed, navigation instructions and warnings appear for the driver on a display mounted on the steering column that rotates with the steering wheel, whereby the display always remains horizontal. At the very front of the dashboard is a round camera ball, which, when switched on, floats on a stream of air and can record both the surroundings and the interior of the Gemera at an angle of 360 degrees. For each of the up to four passengers there is enough space in the front and rear trunk to accomodate a trolley in the usual dimensions for international hand luggage.

Koenigsegg plans to produce a total of 300 Gemera. In terms of price, the four-seater is expected to settle at around 1.5 million € or 1.7 million US$. With special equipment and paint to sample colors there is a little room for improvement.

Images: Koenigsegg