Here's How Koenigsegg's Fascinating Camless 'Freevalve' Engine Works

This interesting video has surfaced explaining in more detail how the innovative Freevalve engines work. It gives the car full individual control of each intake and exhaust valve, allowing individual timings to increase performance or minimise fuel consumption

Darren Cassey

09 Jan 2016

This is not a new video, but it appears to have been picked up by MotorAuthority yesterday and is now doing the rounds. It’s a fascinating watch that we haven’t shared before, so here you go!

Comments

When you look at the lengths people have gone to and the variety of Variable Cam Timing (VANOS/VTEC) systems that have been used it is no surprise that this was the ultimate end goal.

My only concern with this type of valve is that by being dependent of an electrical system, if any sensor fails or voltage drops below ability to function the valve there isn’t a failsafe for interference. I’m sure someone will figure it out but for now I’ll stick with oil pressure driven variable timeing thank you very much.

The fail safe is that the valve is always closed unless activated. If one part of the oil/air/electrical system fails, it would just not open that valve. At least that’s how I would do it.

Nissan had VVEL first

Here is a great video from the guys over at /Drive where the man himself and an employee explains how it works. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bch5B23_pu0

Looks to me like Formula 1 tech, F1 uses pneumatic valves since the 90’s to achieve 20k rpms.

From what I understand, F1 only use air as return spring, to push down the valve they still using traditional camshaft

Sorry this is off topic but I need assistance from a Moderator if possible. Here’s an awesome car picture as recompense for my unwelcome intrusion

can someone explain the difference between this and bmw’s valvetronic to me? I remember someone saying that valvetronic is something sounding very similar

valvotronic is like vtec but in BMW’s way. So it can adjust the timing by a couple degree’s and can adjust the valve lift. But it is still stuck to the camshaft. It can’t open multiple times and you can’t have it stay closed during a cycle(which is interesting in city enviroment for let’s say driving on 3 cilinders instead of 4 using less fuel).
Where as freevalve can open and close valves at any given time and have it from wide open to next to nothing open.

i always Wonderd why we never used solenoids in the head

simply for cost reasons. this stuff ain’t cheap by any means.

dope!

No gearbox in a car then this?!?! Maybe Mr. Koenigsegg is from the future like Dr. Wells (thawne) in The Flash?!?!

Next thing I want to see squashed, now that timing belts are gone and cars will last longer without needing major surgery: alternator belts and such.

Let’s make cars more reliable, so that we can drive around in rallies and whatever for years upon years without problem. 24 hour endurance races without a single engine failure? Fascinating.

Make races more fair… Less DNFs by mechanical malfunctions.

Maybe its just me but mechanical failures are all part of the industry and sport of racing and just automobiles. Sure it sucks balls there is no doubt but fixing a problem and continuing the race thats something to brag about. To me at least 1/4 of race is the pits and the guys working to save the drivers ass

Yeah but in domestic, more failures equals more money to mechanics (usually certified dealers). Still, in motorsports it does seem like the logical next step

Brother Melons, you just described perfection.

I think the fact that cars are mechanical and have flaws make them more “human”. With this electronical witchcraft we might start to lose the bond with our own cars.