The Koenigsegg Regera is a limited production, plug-in hybrid grand touring sports car manufactured by Swedish automotive manufacturer Koenigsegg. It was unveiled at the March 2015 Geneva Motor Show. The name Regera is a Swedish verb, meaning "to reign" or "to rule". Koenigsegg produced 85 units of the car, most of which were sold upon unveiling.
The Regera was developed and designed to be a more practical, luxurious, grand touring alternative to the rest of Koenigsegg's lightweight sports car lineup; initially the Agera and currently the Jesko. As a result, it is less focused on-track performance and spartan weight reduction and more focused on the smooth and instant delivery of power provided by its overhauled powertrain. Koenigsegg states that the Regera will be one of the most powerful and fastest-accelerating hybrid production cars produced.
The introduction of the Regera alongside the Agera RS in 2015 resulted in Koenigsegg, for the first time ever, simultaneously having two models in production. This role was passed from the Agera to the Jesko in 2019, which briefly shared the production line with the Regera when Jesko production began in late 2021.
Conception
Koenigsegg founder Christian von Koenigsegg purchased a Tesla Model S P85+ in 2013 and was impressed by the car's ability to instantly deliver power without the need for a downshift or to wait for turbo lag. He was especially impressed with the direct and intuitive experience provided by an electric car like the Tesla, remarking that the instantaneous response of the motors was something even a Formula One car could not attain with a traditional internal combustion engine. Von Koenigsegg sought to combine this desirable aspect of electric powertrains with the traditional Koenigsegg experience of a lightweight, powerful sports car.
Realizing some form of compromise was necessary, von Koenigsegg decided to look to a hybrid solution. By removing the traditional 7-speed dual-clutch transmission and switching to a single-gear direct-drive system, Koenigsegg mitigated the added weight of the three electric motors and a 4.5 kW·h battery pack installed in the Regera as compared to the previous Agera models. The single-gear electrical solution also provided the instant response that von Koenigsegg sought, while the onboard internal combustion engine would then maintain the rapid acceleration and power at higher speeds where the electric motors are less effective.
Development
The Regera was designed with a combination of the CATIA software suite and Autodesk Inventor, with AutoCAD Electrical being primarily used to redesign the vehicle's electrical systems from past Koenigsegg models. According to Koenigsegg Technical Director Jon Gunner, the Regera makes use of several power nodes to connect wiring throughout the car compared to the single power node of previous models, which saves weight.
Koenigsegg uses 3D printing technologies to manufacture many parts of the Regera. This includes static components like details in the interior of the car under the upholstery and the large electrical exhaust port at the rear of the car, as well as dynamic components like the variable-geometry turbocharger in the engine. This manufacturing technique allowed Koenigsegg to better tune airflow through the turbochargers and achieve a more complex inner housing shape which was impossible with conventional methods.
The Regera was used by NVIDIA to introduce Project Holodeck, a virtual reality environment capable of importing and manipulating high-detail 3D models. This technology was used by Koenigsegg engineers to collaborate on design ideas in real-time and could allow customers to experience their custom made vehicle in VR before it is purchased or built.
Specifications
The Regera is a two-door targa top with a detachable roof that can be stowed in the boot. It is the first hybrid car to be produced by Koenigsegg, as well as the first vehicle to use their Direct-Drive System for power delivery. As the company's 'grand touring' oriented offer in their two-car lineup, the Regera focuses more on interior luxury and daily usability instead of hardcore track performance like the Jesko.
Powertrain
The Regera has a reported total power output of through a hybrid powertrain. As in general, the Regera's internal combustion engine (ICE) generates its greatest power only at high rpm; however, due to the fixed gear, this corresponds to very high speeds. Power at low speeds is filled in by the electric motors, giving a maximum combined mechanical power output of and of torque.