The cars of Koenigsegg are extreme. That is the best and most fitting word to describe their stable. The latest member of the Swedish brood of supercars is the Quant which was revealed last year as a full scale unit. The Quant will be unveiled during the 2010 Geneva Auto Show as a near-production supercar but this time without the involvement of Koenigsegg.
The Quant is actually the baby of NLV Solar AG which is a Swedish company pioneering in electrical power and photovoltaic technology. The NLV was the company which commissioned Koenigsegg to be on the drawing boards for the car of the future. The end result of the partnership is the solar-electric 4 seater Quant. The one that will be shown in Geneva is purely NLV and will be a preview of a production car.
The Quant has a rear wheel drive configuration that is dependent on a pair of electric motors using AC induction. The combined output of the motors is 512 horsepower and whopping torque of 527 lb-ft. The use of the two electric motors simplified the layout of the car without having to use differentials or bevel gears. The power is also very consistent in either coast or drive mode.
The curb weight of the car is expected to tip at 3,900 pounds which will get the car from 0 to 60 miles per hour in a matter of 5.2 seconds. The top speed of the Quant will be 170 mph.
The Quant will have a carbon fiber chassis to somehow keep the weight of the car down. It will also be using FAES or Flow Accumulator Energy Storage, a power storage technology developed by the NLV. The storage will add some more 450 kg but it will not be carrying any heavy metals or hazardous substance being use by most electric cars.
The Swedish company claims that it will only take 20 minutes to fully charge the FAES. This one time charge can give the car a decent range of 300 miles. A coating of solar-cell also contributes in stretching the range of the Quant. A system similar to KERS is also used by the NLV Quant.
The NLV Quant is about 16 feet long, can carry four adults, and sports gullwing doors. The interior is dominated by display screens which basically control entertainment system and give the vital information needed for a good driving experience.
Photos via [thecarconnection]
