Gemera

Make
Koenigsegg
Segment
Coupe

The Koenigsegg Gemera is a technical masterpiece. This hybrid 'Mega-GT' makes a total of 1,727 horsepower, and some of that comes from the ingenious Quark E-motor that weights just 66 pounds but makes over 330 hp. Seeing what the Gemera is capable of, one can't help but ponder the potential of a fully electric hypercar from the Swedish brand. When we spoke to Christian von Koenigsegg in early 2020, he seemed to be against the idea of making an EV since, among other things, it would add too much weight. But the Koenigsegg boss sees other, newer obstacles in the way of fully electric hypercars: electric sedans like the Tesla Model S Plaid and Porsche Taycan.

When asked by TopGear about how to make electric hyper cars exciting, Koenigsegg said: "That's the challenge for all extreme car brands. There are ways. I don't think anyone has yet nailed the huge differentiation from a Tesla Model S Plaid or Porsche Taycan Turbo. I think they are so close in performance and range to a hyper EV that it's a bit discomforting."

Christian von Koenigsegg will know better than most about the abilities of Tesla's top sedan as he has daily driven a Model S himself. Speaking about the Tesla, he told CarBuzz that he "quickly got used to the synaptic torque responses - like if you think of overtaking, you've done it." What Tesla has achieved served as some of the inspiration for Koenigsegg ultimately turning to hybridization.

Considering that the Gemera costs around $1.7 million and is barely quicker than the $135,990 Model S Plaid sedan to 60 mph, we can see his point. Before EVs, hypercars were in a clear performance class above practical sedans, but that gap has closed rapidly. Koenigsegg thinks that electric hypercars "need to have a reason to exist".

Even though he is confident that the company will have "the most power dense e-motor and inverters in the world," Koenigsegg clearly believes that a hyper EV needs to do more to set itself apart from EVs in more traditional segments, and to justify their enormous price tags.

While the company still chases reaching over 300 mph in the Jesko Absolut, we like where Christian von Koenigsegg's head is at. Simply putting a powerful electric powertrain into a hypercar would be too easy; this is a company that endeavors to provide a high level of emotion in every product. The way the world is moving, a Koenigsegg EV seems inevitable at some point, but it should never compromise the appeal of the brand. We can't wait to see how Koenigsegg differentiates itself from the herd when that happens.