5 UPCOMING SUPERCARS THAT REFUSE TO GO ELECTRIC

In today’s automotive world, electrification seems to be the name of the game. Car companies are looking to future-proof their lineups by ditching internal combustion engines and focusing on electric models, and governments across the world are encouraging the move towards EVs through legislative means. The EU is implementing regulations to drastically reduce the number of gas-powered cars (though alarmist headlines about a “complete ban” are not fully accurate), and several US states are implementing a law requiring zero-emission vehicles to form 100% of new car sales by 2035, California being the first to pass the Clean Cars II Act.

However, not everyone is quite so eager to fully leave the gas-powered world behind; some car manufacturers are still developing supercars either fully powered by internal combustion engines or propelled by a hybrid powertrain. Since supercars are, for the most part, the domain of automotive enthusiasts who place value in driver engagement and the emotional appeal of a vehicle, it makes sense that they are one of the last categories in the car world to cling to internal combustion for as long as possible. With that in mind, here are five upcoming supercars that aren’t going down the all-electric route.

Hennesseys 'American Carrera GT'

Hennessey is bucking the electrification trend with its unnamed upcoming supercar, which puts driver experience and emotional appeal at the very top of the priority list. Despite originally planning to develop an all-electric hypercar dubbed “Project Deep Space”, the carmaker later pivoted back towards the world of internal combustion, developing a supercar described by the brand’s founder and CEO, John Hennessey, as “an American successor to the Porsche Carrera GT.” Since the Carrera GT became an automotive icon in part thanks to its high-revving V10, a repurposed Formula 1 engine, it’s easy to see which direction Hennessey is trying to go in terms of emotional appeal and driving experience.

Adopting a “back to basics” approach, Hennessey is focusing on the crucial elements of the supercar experience, its customers demanding they build something “manual, high-revving, naturally aspirated, and super engaging.” Further details are still scarce, with no information available yet regarding the engine, body styles, or even the car’s name; Hennessey fans can expect to wait at least another couple of years before catching a glimpse of the new supercar. One thing is certain, though - no matter which form Hennessey’s new creation takes, it will come with a whole lot of character.

Czinger 21C

The Czinger 21C was due to make its debut in the automotive world at the 2020 Geneva Motor Show, but after the show was canceled at the last minute due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Czinger opted to host its own private event in London to present its new creation. The 21C is powered by a 2.88-liter flat-plane crank V8 engine, which revs to 11,000 rpm, making it one of the highest-revving engines on a production car.

Despite using a gas-powered engine, the 21C is far from old-school; its sleek, hyper-optimized aerodynamic design was created by a combination of human brainpower and AI and based around a cockpit where the passenger sits behind the driver, using a proprietary system exclusive to Czinger. The 21C became known as the “3D printed supercar” thanks to the extensive use of advanced technology during its design process. The 21C’s combustion engine also does not stop it from having the capacity to be a fully zero-emissions vehicle if the owner so chooses: it can be run on several types of planet-friendly e-fuels, including carbon recycled methanol. The powertrain also includes an 800V electric motor and a regenerative braking system.

In August 2023, Czinger revealed the (even more) exclusive 21C Blackbird Edition, inspired by the legendary Lockheed SR-71 Blackbird aircraft. The car’s design elements recall the Blackbird’s striking looks, with Jet Black paintwork, exposed carbon fiber, and afterburner-shaped exhaust outlets. More recently, we were introduced to the El Mirage specification, which may be our favorite yet.

Koenigsegg Gemera

The Koenigsegg Gemera is another hypercar whose introduction to the world was hampered by the pandemic and the cancelation of the 2020 Geneva Motor Show. The Gemera is the first four-seater Koenigsegg ever made; production is set to begin later this year, with the first lucky customers expecting to have their cars delivered at the start of 2025.

Originally, the Gemera’s beating heart was to be a 2.0-liter turbocharged three-cylinder, nicknamed the “Tiny Friendly Giant,” paired with a hybrid system with three electric motors. But when Koenigsegg announced the final customer specification last year, it had a surprise in store. Sure, you can get the TFG engine, which produces 592hp and 443 lb/ft of torque on its own and totals of 1,381 hp/1,364 lb-ft with the Dark Matter electric motor, but you can also get it in a “Hot V8” edition, which replaces the TFG with the V8 engine from the Jesko. This engine produces 1,479 hp, which, combined with the electric motor, results in a total power output of 2,269 hp and 2,028 lb/ft of torque. Thanks to its compatibility with carbon-neutral fuels, the Gemera can be a zero-emissions vehicle as well: it can be fueled with second-generation ethanol, CO2-neutral methanol, or third-generation biofuels.

Bugatti's V16 Hybrid Chiron Successor

Eight years after the Bugatti Chiron stunned the automotive world with its striking design and hair-raising performance, gaining the title of most powerful production car on the road at the time, Bugatti is looking to up the stakes even further with the Chiron’s as-yet-unnamed successor. The incoming hypercar, set to be revealed in June, will be the first model produced since Bugatti’s merger with Rimac (which created the Bugatti-Rimac Group) in 2022. It will also be the first Bugatti model to feature some form of electrification, thanks to its hybrid powertrain. But ICE enthusiasts have no reason to worry: the new Bugatti is very far from being all-electric, instead choosing to showcase how far gas-powered engines can still be pushed in terms of innovation.

The car will be powered by a V16 (yes, you read that right) engine, the first to power a series production car made after World War II. The only three production cars in history powered by a 16-cylinder engine were the Cadillac Series 452, Mormon Sixteen, and Cadillac Series 90; other 16-cylinder cars that never made it to large-scale production were the Cizeta V16T (only 11 examples of which exist) and a concept BMW 7 Series that never made it past the testing phase.

Porsche 911 GT2 RS

The new Porsche 911 GT2 RS is due to hit the market in 2026; it will be the most powerful and fastest 911 in the 992-generation lineup. A prototype GT2 RS was spotted testing at the Nurburgring; this revealed some details about the car’s bodywork, which features a sizable rear wing and large side intakes.

The new GT2 RS will have a mild hybrid powertrain; exact power output figures are still uncertain, but it is estimated to be over 700 hp (for reference, the last GT2 RS produced 691 hp and 553 lb/ft of torque). Previous rumors had suggested Porsche would opt for a plug-in hybrid system, but the mild hybrid setup was eventually chosen in order to save space and weight. The ICE engine from the current 911 Turbo (a 3.8-liter turbocharged flat-six engine) will be paired with a 400V hybrid system; the car will also be capable of generating electric energy while accelerating.

Even though the GT2 RS remains a long way from full electrification, and the ICE engine is still the star of the show, electric power is a large component of its amazing performance; the electric motor alone will produce 184 lb-ft of torque, and an all-electric driving mode (albeit with a limited range) will be available, which is not a feature typically found in non-plug-in hybrid vehicles. All this performance comes at a cost, however: the new GT2 RS is likely to be the first series-production 911 to break the $300,000 barrier.

2024-04-28T04:33:19Z dg43tfdfdgfd