This is a 1075bhp, 186mph electric car

By topgear ,

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This is a Quant F, a zero-emission, gullwing-doored super-saloon apparently capable of 0-62mph in under three seconds, a top speed of 186mph and a power output of 1075bhp. Now we have your attention, the proviso: it isn't quite real yet.

But it might be soon. Far from being a particularly graphic swear word, the Quant F is a development of the Quant E, and it will make its worldwide premiere at next month's Geneva Motor Show courtesy of its maker, NanoFlowcell AG.

Built in Liechtenstein, the Quant F is a "complete redesign of its predecessor", its makers tell us. Considering you're probably unfamiliar with its predecessor, some context might be required.

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It uses four motors powered by electricity generated by a bespoke fuel cell. But, unlike 'conventional' hydrogen fuel cells such as that found in Honda's FCX, which produce power by combine hydrogen and oxygen, NanoFlowcell's apparently unique technology runs on two ionic fluids - one positively charged and one negative - stored in a pair of 250-litre on-board tanks.

Exactly how the Quant F translates sloshy ionic fluid into more power than a LaFerrari is beyond our limited Top Gear maths, but we're assured it'll provide a range of around 500 miles.

The Quant F uses a two-speed automatic transmission, "the like of which has not been seen before," according to NanoFlowcell.

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That four-wheel-drive system is permanent, except when rapid acceleration is required, in which instance it becomes less permanent, and switches to rear wheel drive only, declutching the front axle. There's a two-stage aerofoil that kicks in above 50mph, apparently offering 'even sportier driving'.

The Quant F about to undergo crash testing in Germany and the USA, though NanoFlowcell is less enthralled by this prospect. "I must say the idea of putting such a fascinating car through a crash test really grates on me," chief technical officer Nunzio La Vecchia explains.

Don't worry Nunzio, we've found a way around that. Anyway, we'll bring you more once we've seen it at Geneva, to see if we can understand how it all works.