Zenvo Unveils 1850 Horsepower Hybrid V12… Is It Necessary?

Zenvo boasts with its 1850 hp hybrid V12 offering a monument of engineering… but what’s the point?

Zenvo Automotive has just revealed the “Mjølner,” a brand new hybrid V12 engine developing up to 1850 hp. Combining a 6.6-liter four-turbocharged engine with an electric hybrid system, it presents itself as the most powerful V12 ever installed in a production car. The architecture is modular, the engine is designed to meet future emissions standards, and each unit will be assembled by hand. On paper, all of that is impressive. But what’s the point?

Because behind this technical demonstration lies a machine whose complexity borders on absurdity. A turbocharged, hybrid internal combustion engine conforming to the strictest standards, but designed for “driver engagement”? We are looking at an expensive, necessarily heavy “gaz factory,” and whose pure performance – on the road – will nonetheless be inferior to today’s best electric sports cars, whose immediate torque and electronic management make all this mechanical excess almost anachronistic.

In terms of pleasure, it’s all about choice, not compromise

When seeking the raw thrill of noble mechanics, one tends to prefer naturally aspirated engines. These simpler blocks gladly accept light hybridization while maintaining their magical sound, without the filter of turbocharging. And when the goal is maximum efficiency, pure electric remains unbeatable.

Then comes the unusual, the spectacular, the symbol. The V16 of the future Bugatti Tourbillon fits that category. The Zenvo V12 probably does too. But the market for this kind of baroque mechanical is so small that one doubts encountering a Mjølner outside an exposition stand or a private collection someday.

All in all, an engineering feat, certainly. But its real utility is questionable, as this machine seems to go against modern trends. More of a showcase than a revolution.

READ ALSO: 1,500 horsepower for only 70,000 euros, is it reasonable?