The Koenigsegg name is one that we associate with some of the fastest and most insane supercars in the world. The ability of Christian Von Koenigsegg and his team to continually challenge the status quo helps to drive technology and make us all wonder why some of the items on his cars aren’t wide spread on all models. A great example of this is the Regera which is a 1500 horsepower monster of power that you would think sounds like a beast, but it’s a plug-in hybrid that doesn’t even have a gearbox for the drive.
Freevalve is the sister company to Koenigsegg, and as you can see in this video they have been working on finding a way to produce the first camless engine. Their goal is to get rid of the camshaft and the throttle body which will give them more power, better torque efficiency, improved fuel economy and even better emissions. This engine is expected to be able to run on a variety of fuels and even be able to operate as a two-stroke version using the Atkinson Cycle. This system should allow for independent cylinder deactivation when needed and should be the wave of the future of car engines.
If the camless engine is so great, why isn’t it the type we use in all cars? One reason is the fact that its new to the market and isn’t something that many had tried before. With it being new, the camless engine will need to be tested to ensure it will in fact provide what’s needed to make it the right engine to have in all cars going forward. Another reason is cost. Initially when any new machinery is introduces the cost are higher, but with the backing of Koenigsegg, Freevalve should be able to handle the costs associated with this new engine setup.
The way this engine would operate is through the use of computerized signals, and a greater use of airflow into the cylinders. The signal to open a valve would allow air in to push the piston down and the signal to close it would do the opposite. With independent springs and the ability to send this signal cylinders could remain open longer, creating a better power run and much more efficiency. With a camshaft engines only have a short peak point before the valve is closed off once again during the cycle inside the engine.
The benefits of this type of engine are pretty amazing. First of all you can reduce the weight quite a bit because you don’t need the cams, timing belt or timing chain. You can easily run the Atkinson Cycle and make great use of cylinder deactivation. You can completely eliminate the throttle body of a traditional engine which makes for a more efficient engine; this is already being used by BMW. This engine is also made to be fully optimized with at least a thirty percent gain for fuel consumption, torque and power while enjoying at least fifty percent less emissions. This sounds like an engine we need now, hopefully it will start to become mainstream in the upcoming years.
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