Koenigsegg Mixes Radial and Axial Electric Motors in the Quark and Terrier

Koenigsegg chose the name for this motor inspired by physics. Quark is “the only particle to experience all four fundamental forces (electromagnetism, gravitation, strong interaction, and weak interaction).” As its unique design would not fit any current classification for motors, the Swedish company coined a new one: it is a raxial-flux motor.

It is not clear how the company managed to present an engineering piece that joins the high torque of axial-flux motors with the high power of radial-flux designs. We’ll probably have to ask Dragos-Mihai Postariu about that. The Romanian engineer is Koenigsegg’s Electric Motor Design Lead.

According to him, the Quark was “designed to bolster the low-speed range of the Gemera, where you need it, for brutal acceleration.” Summing up, it gives Koenigsegg’s hypercar “a big power surge followed by a continuous record-speed push to 400 kph without any torque or power losses.”

In the Gemera, the Quark delivers a peak torque of 600 Nm (442.5 pound-feet) and 250 kW (335 hp) of peak power. You may brag that you have already seen stronger electric motors, but we dare you to tell us how much they weigh. The Quark is a 30-kilogram (66.1-pound) machine. According to Koenigsegg, it can get even lighter “without the extra driveline functions for the Gemera:” below 28.5 kg (62.8 lb).

The company said that because the plan is to sell the Quark for anyone willing to use this electric motor. Koenigsegg thinks it would be great for applications other than automotive, such as aerospace, VTOL, and marine.

The Quark is not the only electric product Koenigsegg is willing to sell to other brands. It also has David. This 6-phase SIC (silicon carbide) inverter was named after the Biblical character, and makes a lot of sense on the Terrier, another one of the Swedish brand’s goods.

This electric drive unit joins two Quarks with a David. Being a 6-phase inverter, David has three phases for each electric motor, allowing them to operate with only one inverter. That’s another weight-saving measure. We only wonder if it will be easy to service Terrier in case anything goes bad with its David.

Koenigsegg named this drive unit Terrier because it is “small, energetic, and fearless,” just like the dogs that are included in this breed. If simple math is enough to reveal the numbers Koenigsegg did not disclose, energetic is a euphemism: the Terrier could deliver 1,200 Nm (885 lb-ft) and 500 kW (670.5 hp).

That would only work if there were no losses in the drive unit. However, Koenigsegg mentions that it used “small low-ratio highly efficient planetary gear sets” on it, which may bring those numbers down.

Despite that, imagine that much power and torque in something that weighs a little more than 75 kg (165.4 lb): 60 kg (132.3 lb) from the two Quarks, 15 kg (33.1 lb) and Koenigsegg knows what else. It may be even lighter than 75 kg, considering that putting them together may have offered new opportunities to save weight.

We’ll now wait for Koenigsegg to announce who are its first clients or partners willing to get these motors and inverters. Startups will probably enjoy selling a car with a Koenigsegg signature on them for much less than a Koenigsegg would cost.

As you can see, electric cars are a work in progress. Apart from motors, batteries also offer a lot of room for improvement. New ideas such as those the Swedish company presented only make EVs more inevitable than before, and that’s good news unless you would rather take a bus or ride a bicycle to go everywhere.