What is it?

It's a styling model for the Geneva Motor Show that showcases how a zero tailpipe emissions supercar from the ultimate purveyor of crazy Swedish supercars might look. The Koenigsegg Quant has gullwing doors, seats four and boasts an electric motor at each wheel. How each of those motors is powered is the big news and it's not a lithium-ion battery pack.

Why is it here?

Koenigsegg usually makes cars virtually the exact opposite of a four-seat electric car, so that in itself is interesting enough, but the way the Quant is powered is where the good stuff's really at. Solar panels are incorporated into the roof and bonnet, for a start, which effectively power the electrics, but the motors are juiced up by an electro-chemical battery and a 'redox cell', which Koenigsegg reckons can be charged in about 20 minutes for a 300-mile range.

Show stopper or floor filler?

Well, the aforementioned powertrain musters up 505bhp and 527lb.ft of pulling power - incredible numbers for an electric coupé, particularly with all that torque available from standstill. And with the backing of a proven maker like Koenigsegg the unique internals might just see production at some point in the distant future. In fact, Koenigsegg says it will have a working model on the track within a year.

Mark Nichol - 6 Mar 2009