Sweden automaker Koenigsegg famous for its exclusive hypercars has developed its own electric vehicle powertrain dubbed the Terrier. The unit consists of dual Quark motors and a David invertor, both also proprietary developments.
The compact unit is advertised as offering a class-leading combination of power and torque, although Koenigsegg currently has no plans to make an EV based on it.
Regarding the name ‘Terrier’, the company points out that terriers are highly energetic and fearless dogs. The Quark motor benefits from carbon fiber and aeronautical-grade steel in its construction, weighing in under 30 kilos (66 lbs) and exerting up to 340 PS (335 hp / 250 kW) and 600 Nm (443 lb-ft) of torque.
Working together, the dual motors make 680 PS (671 hp / 500 kW), but only 1,100 Nm (811 lb-ft) of torque. Since electric powertrains produce plenty of power and torque at lower RPM counts, they require a relatively small planetary reduction gear with a low gear ratio. As a result, the whole system weighs less than conventional designs do.
Thanks to its compactness and the well-designed shape of the David invertor, the Terrier packs all of its constituent units very tightly into a single small case. This configuration enables the Terrier to be mounted straight onto the car chassis or monocoque, while the leftover space leaves designers to with enough freedom to implement some of their wildest supercar exterior concepts into reality.
Koenigsegg does not say where the electric mill may find use, but the Gemera hypercar looks like a passable candidate. We are told the Terrier can be used for driving in all-electric mode at reasonable speeds and as an assisting module when rapid acceleration is required.