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Koenigsegg sees new Tesla Roadster as the 'gauntlet' thrown down

Christian von Koenigsegg, the man behind the company that holds the current record for world's fastest car, does not like to be outdone. So he did not particularly enjoy hearing the numbers regarding the forthcoming next-generation Tesla Roadster and its vaunted 1.9-second 0-60 mph time. "We kind of had our future mapped out, and then we heard about the new Tesla Roadster and its insane acceleration numbers, and we thought 'Damn, that's put the gauntlet down,'" the Koenigsegg founder and CEO told Top Gear. As he told the site, he enlisted his engineers to start running numbers, and within a couple of days, they'd figured out a solution. "The simplest way of putting it is like this: It's combining direct drive with the hybridization we have in a different format with free-valve engine technology, in a peculiar layout," von Koenigsegg said. He said the powertrain could take a car from 0-250 mph in 14 seconds "or something like this," and said he wants to make a combustion engine with a higher power density than an electric powertrain "for as long as possible." His talk about hybrids brings to mind the Koenigsegg Regera plug-in hybrid, which weighs just 3,505 pounds and puts out more than 1,500 horsepower. It does 0-62 mph in 2.8 seconds — impressive, but a full 0.9 seconds less than the Roadster's purported time. And not surprising for a company that is all about maximizing ponies, Koenigsegg likes to geek out over the details of things like the design of the 1,160-hp Agera RS engine. Could he be talking about the same vehicle as the successor to the Agera RS, rumored to be called Ragnarok? Tesla, meanwhile, unveiled said Roadster at Grand Basel in Switzerland — or rather, it showed off what appeared to be a white, empty design shell that had been shown last year at Tesla's shareholder meeting. And don't forget that the mad scientists over at Hennessey are tinkering with the 7.6-liter V8 for the Venom F5, the key to its quest to hit 300 mph. So buckle your seat belts, boys and girls: Things are about to get very fast. Related Video: This content is hosted by a third party. To view it, please update your privacy preferences. Manage Settings. Image Credit: Drew Phillips Green Tesla Koenigsegg Hybrid Performance Supercars PHEV koenigsegg agera koenigsegg regera hennessey venom f5

Recharge Wrap-up: No fast charger funding from GM, Tesla Model X buyer's guide

General Motors does not plan to fund any CCS fast-charging infrastructure to go along with the launch of the Chevrolet Bolt. Other automakers – Audi, BMW, Nissan, Volkswagen and, of course, Tesla - are investing in the deployment of fast chargers to aid the mobility of their EV customers. With the debut of the Chevy Bolt, which has an option for a CCS fast-charging port, Green Car Reports asked a panel of GM executives if it had similar plans. "We are not actively working on providing infrastructure [for the Bolt EV]," says GM CEO Mary Barra. Read more at Green Car Reports. Teslarati has put together a buyer's guide for the Tesla Model X. If you're considering taking the plunge and buying the new, luxury, electric SUV, there are a number of things to take into account that first-time Tesla or EV buyers may not have had to consider before – on top of the usual tough choices any car buyer faces. The guide breaks down the options into categories of pricing, battery, and performance, performance extras, seating, more options, tow/hitch options, and final options (yes, that's a lot of options). It also includes how to find the hidden 72-amp onboard charger upgrade, if that's something you want to consider. Check it out at Teslarati. Renault is an official partner of the 2015/2016 Formula E Paris ePrix. The race takes place around the Hotel des Invalides monument on April 23, and Renault will have a strong presence for the race weekend. The automaker will have its ZE range on display at the ePrix's e-village throughout the event. Renault e.dams won the 2014/2015 Teams' championship title, and is at the top of the standings for 2015/2016. Read more from Renault. EV sales are on the rise in Europe, a trend that's expected to continue according to analysts. Thanks in large part to regulatory measures, electrified vehicle sales (including mild hybrids) are predicted to grow 433 percent to 2.2 million units by 2021. EV sales grew 82.2 percent in the year leading up to September 2015. "It's no secret that the internal combustion engine is expected to be the predominant powertrain in the near term, but increased acceptance of [alternative fuel vehicle] technology, particularly pure electrification, should not be ignored," says PwC Global Automotive Leader Rick Hanna. Read more in the press release below.

Recharge Wrap-up: BorgWarner buys Remy, Citroen's Bluesummer

BorgWarner will buy Remy International. The auto parts maker, known especially for its turbocharging technology, will buy Remy, a maker of electric motors for EVs and hybrids, in order to better compete in a growing electrified vehicle market. In a deal expected to close late this year, BorgWarner has offered to buy 32.2 million shares of Remy at $29.50 each for a total of about $950 million. Remy did about $1.2 billion in sales in 2014. Read more from Reuters. Deliveries of the Tesla Model S P85D will begin soon in Hong Kong. Some customers there have received emails from Tesla saying, "Your Model S is ready to enter production," and asking for registration information. Hong Kong is likely to be one of the first locations to receive the right-hand-drive version of the P85D. The first deliveries are expected in late August. Read more at Inside EVs. Tesla Motors has hired Ganesh Srivats as its vice president for sales in North America. Srivats is the former senior vice president at British luxury fashion brand Burberry. The hire will help Tesla build its luxury lifestyle image as the company enters more markets around the globe. "If Tesla is thinking that they are selling a lifestyle and a way of thinking, then someone from Burberry could be the right choice," says Ken Harris of Cadent Consulting Group. "Burberry gets lifestyle." Earlier this year, Tesla reassigned its vice president of worldwide sales and service Jerome Guillen, and created separate sales positions for North America, Europe and Asia. Read more from Bloomberg. Citroen will distribute Bollore's four-seat, electric convertible, the Bluesummer. Bollore Group and PSA Peugeot Citroen recently announced that the funky EV would be built at PSA's plant in Rennes, France beginning in September. While it originally appeared that the Bluesummer would be available through carsharing programs, Citroen now says it will sell the Bluesummer through its dealership network. "This partnership with the Bollore Group is an opportunity for the Citroen network to increase its sales by attracting to its showrooms new customers who like the originality and freshness of the Bluesummer and thus promoting all the vehicles in the range," says Philippe Narbeburu, sales director for Citroen France. Read more in the press release below.