Koenigsegg details outrageous new Gemera specs with Dark Matter e-motor

Koenigsegg recently held an event to celebrate an expansion of its campus headquarters in Angelholm, Sweden. We got some initial bits out of it from Koenigsegg Registry, focusing on changes to the production-spec Gemera such as the option to swap the turbocharged 2.0-liter three-cylinder engine for the 5.0 TTV8 from the Jesko. It looks like the Swedes saved the juiciest details for now. Coming straight from founder and boss Christian von Koenigsegg, the Gemera hasn't only been improved by a lot, it's got some outstanding new tech that started with the question of an engine and transmission swap.

Engineers had developed a nine-speed gearbox called the Light Speed Transmission (LST) for the Jesko's TTV8. The LST dispenses with a flywheel and clutch or hydraulic coupling, making the TTV8 engine's output shaft the LST's input shaft. At some point during Gemera development, someone wondered if the Gemera could fit the TTV8 and LST instead of the planned Direct Drive transmission from the Koenigsegg Regera. The short story is the engineers answered that question in the affirmative with what's now called the LSTT, the Light Speed Tourbillon Transmission. In the lingo of jewel-like Swiss watch internals, a "tourbillon" is a mechanical feature that makes a watch more accurate. Reworking the LST for its new employment made it smaller, lighter, and better.

Alongside that, engineers created a new six-phase e-motor to replace the three, three-phase Quark e-motors that had been paired with the 2.0-liter Tiny Friendly Giant (TFG) engine. The one motor to rule them all is called Dark Matter, designed as a blend of radial flux and axial flux topologies called "raxial." In the original powertrain, two of the Quark motors on the rear axle could each make a maximum 500 horsepower and 738 pound-feet of torque, the third Quark on the crankshaft made 400 hp and 369 lb-ft. transmission. Their combined output in operation came to 1,100 hp. 

The Dark Matter makes 800 hp and 922 lb-ft. Pairing a single Dark Matter with the LSTT makes the TFG powertrain lighter and smaller, improving acceleration and performance. New control logic means the Dark Matter can drive the Gemera on its own, the TFG can power the car, or both can be called to action. When operating together, max output comes to 1,400 horsepower and 1,365 pound-feet of torque. The Gemera retains its all-wheel drive, four-wheel steering, and torque vectoring.

Thanks to the more compact transmission and single e-motor, the TTV8 could find a home in the Gemera's engine bay. That required more development, mostly changing the turbo setup to a hot vee, putting the exhaust into the valley between the cylinders. Note the more pronounced pipes emerging from beside the rear window.

Previous info said going to the V8 would add $400K to the Gemera's price. It also makes a huge difference to output. With 1,500 hp coming from the TTV8 and 800 hp coming from the Dark Matter, final output is rated at 2,300 hp and 2,028 lb-ft. of torque. Well then. 

This Gemera iteration is called the Client Specification. It's what those who managed to get on the Germera reservation list will fly to Sweden to configure in the new extension called the Gripen Atelier. Production begins toward the end of next year, first deliveries planned for early 2025.

By Jonathon Ramsey