Swedish boutique supercar maker Koenigsegg's ingenious cam-free internal combustion engine has beaten off stiff competition from some of the world's biggest car companies to be crowed this year's Popular Science Grand Award Winner.

Christian von Koenigsegg was considered crazy for wanting to start his own supercar company, completely from scratch. But when his first car was finished in 2002, people quickly started changing their opinion. And 14 years later, the Swedish entrepreneur and inventor has proven himself an automotive genius, delivering innovations with his tiny committed team that some of the world's most storied and established brands are struggling to keep up with.

Therefore it should seem obvious that the Koenigsegg FreeValve engine, which made its debut this year in a Chinese Qoros concept car, should be hailed as one of the biggest innovations of 2016.

It ditches the camshaft, the spinning belt-driven rod at the top of the engine that opens and closes valves as it turns and which has been a mainstay of the internal combustion engine for over a century.

In doing so, von Koenigsegg has created a gasoline engine that sets new levels of efficiency and of performance without increasing cubic capacity or adding turbochargers. That's because each valve on the engine can be opened or closed independently, at a unique moment and for a unique amount of time via hydraulic actuators. In other words, eradicating every single inefficiency related to a camshaft.

In second place is the McLaren 570s which Popular Science has singled out because it is, in the publication's opinion, the first truly usable supercar. Despite sitting low to the ground, having 562hp on tap and a 200 mp/h+ (321+ km/h) top speed, it can be driven comfortably in real-world situations.

The top three is rounded out by the Chevrolet Bolt EV which makes the list for being the first true electric car for the people thanks to its ability to cover 238 miles (455 km) on a single charge and costing just US $37,495 before grants or subsidies.

Elsewhere in the list there are awards for the new Mercedes E-Class (eighth place) for its cutting-edge car-to-car communication system that relays live road and weather conditions in seconds to other Mercedes cars; and for the Audi SQ7 TDi.

Ranked in fifth place, the premium SUV makes this year's cut for its innovative lag-free turbo system that uses two traditional turbos plus a third, electrically powered compressor that spools up instantaneously regardless of engine revolutions or exhaust gases. It makes a diesel feel as responsive as a gasoline engine.