The fastest accelerating road-legal car in the world is launched today – and it’s electric.
It outpaces the mighty petrol-powered Bugatti Chiron hypercar and comes from arguably the hottest and most significant electric car company you’re unlikely to have ever heard of – unless you’re a fan of The Grand Tour.
The scintillating new £2million, 258mph Nevera battery-powered model is designed, engineered and built by Croatian car company Rimac – the brand famed by Richard Hammond’s fiery crash in 2017 that catapulted the manufacturer into the headlines.
Its latest creation can accelerate from rest to 60mph in a staggering 1.85 seconds – hitting 100mph from a standstill in a mere 4.3 seconds and 186mph (or 300km/hr) in 9.3 seconds – while producing zero tailpipe emissions.
World’s fastest accelerating road car: Rimac’s new £2m Nevera can accelerate from rest to 60mph in a staggering 1.85 seconds – hitting 100mph from a standstill in a mere 4.3 seconds and 186mph (or 300km/hr) in 9.3 seconds – all while producing zero tailpipe emissions
Although its ultimate top speed is less than the ‘unofficial’ record of 304.77mph achieved by the 8.0-litre quad-turbo W16 gas-guzzling petrol-powered Bugatti Chiron SuperSport 300+, the all-electric Nevera outpaces and out-accelerates the Bugatti at every level – says the firm – making it the fastest accelerating car on the planet.
There will be a limited run of 150 Neveras, each one personally signed off by Rimac Automobili founder and CEO Mate Rimac.
But the really exciting thing about Rimac is the influence it is having on major sports car-makers like Porsche – which recently increased its stake in the firm to 24 per cent – amid informed speculation that it is also poised also to help transform super-luxury Bugatti into a green electric-only brand.
It may also potentially contribute to Bentley’s electrification plans. All three are part of the giant Volkswagen group.
The scintillating new two-seater 258mph battery-powered model is designed, engineered and built by Croatian car company Rimac – the brand famed by Richard Hammond’s fiery crash in 2017 that catapulted the manufacturer into the headlines
There will be a limited run of 150 Neveras, each one personally signed off by Rimac Automobili founder and CEO Mate Rimac
Porsche recently increased its stake in Rimac to 24% amid speculation that it is also poised also to help transform super-luxury Bugatti into a green electric-only brand
In March Rimac also announced it is setting up a UK research and development base in Warwickshire – right next door to Jaguar Land Rover – which is also electrifying its range – and Aston Martin.
The new Nevera is named after a mighty and unexpected Mediterranean storm that arrives suddenly and races across the open sea off Croatia’s beautiful Dalmatian coast – a popular holiday destination for seekers of sun and unspoiled surroundings – accompanied by thunder and lightning, before disappearing just as quickly.
The new Nevera hypercar has four independent electric motors which together develop a massive 1,914 horsepower.
It promises a range of 340-miles with an 80 per cent battery recharge in just 19 minutes.
The new Nevera is named after a mighty and unexpected Mediterranean storm that arrives suddenly and races across the open sea off Croatia’s beautiful Dalmatian coast
CEO Mate Rimac said the car will ‘raise the bar’ and ‘redefine the norm for performance cars’ as an all-round package
A sneak look inside shows the incredibly detailed cabin, with a digital instrument cluster behind the wheel and a relatively small infotainment panel in the centre console
The company stressed: ‘Every major component designed and built in-house at Rimac. Nothing is borrowed, everything is bespoke’.
By way of like-for-like comparison for acceleration with the Bugatti, the new Rimac Nevera accelerates from 0-to-62mph (100km/hr) in 1.97 seconds, 0-to-124mph (200km/hr) in 4.7 seconds, 0-to-186mph (300km/hr) in 9.3 seconds and covers a quarter mile in 8.6 seconds.
The Bugatti Chiron is slightly slower. It sprints from to 62mph in 2.4 seconds, 124mph in 6.5 seconds 186mph in 13.6 seconds and completes a quarter-mile in 9.4 seconds (as measured by Car & Driver).
CEO Mate Rimac managed the quarter mile acceleration in 8.94 seconds during a recent unofficial run on an airfield in a prototype car, which, although slower than the final production car, was still faster than the Bugatti.
However the ultimate 304.77mph top speed of the Bugatti Chiron SuperSport 300+ – and the officially recognised (by Guinness World Records) highest top speed for a production car, the 277.9mph set by the Koenigsegg Agera RS in 2017 – is significantly higher than that of the 258mph Rimac Nevera.
The new Nevera hypercar has four independent electric motors which together develop a massive 1,914 horsepower
It promises a range of 340-miles with an 80 per cent battery recharge in just 19 minutes
What else do you need to know about the ridiculously fast Rimac Nevera?
The new Nevera has super-strong but lightweight construction using a carbon-fibre single-cell chassis, a bonded carbon-fibre roof, and carbon-fibre and aluminium which keeps the weight down to around two tonnes.
The safety and advanced driver assistance technology uses 13 cameras, 6 radars and 12 ultrasonic sensors.
Thanks to its ‘eye-widening acceleration’ the firm says: ‘It achieves a record-breaking 8.6 seconds quarter-mile time’.
Stopping power is via Brembo carbon-ceramic brake discs and six-piston callipers.
Inside. there are tactile aluminium rotary controls and switches – including three displays with rotating control – to provide a traditional analogue feel
The cockpit features a trio of high-definition digital screens, which present as much, or as little, information as the user requires
Near-unlimited personalization means each Nevera owner will be invited to Croatia to design his or her car to their exacting requirements and ‘no two Neveras will leave the Rimac factory looking the same
The new Nevera is a production development Rimac C_Two prototype concept car shown at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show. Bosses say every component ‘improved and enhanced’ and the car homologated or passed fit for global use
The firm said it aimed to take the hypercar market ‘by storm’ with a car that was also fine for ‘everyday use’ stressing: ‘With space for two occupants in full race regalia and their luggage, Nevera is as much a capable grand tourer as it is a performance hypercar.’
Inside, the cockpit features a trio of high-definition digital screens, which present as much, or as little, information as the user requires: ‘They soak up needless toggles and switches, leaving only essential tactile controls, giving more space to enjoy Nevera’s carefully designed interior.’
But there are also tactile aluminium rotary controls and switches – including three displays with rotating control – to provide a traditional analogue feel.
Near-unlimited personalization means each Nevera owner will be invited to Croatia to design his or her car to their exacting requirements and ‘no two Neveras will leave the Rimac factory looking the same.
A flagship version will be available in various editions: GT, Signature, Timeless or fully Bespoke.
The new Nevera is a production development Rimac C_Two prototype concept car shown at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show but with every component ‘improved and enhanced’ and the car homologated or passed fit for global use.
The hypercar’s lithium-manganese-nickel batteries reside in an H-shaped, liquid-cooled, 120kWh, 6960-cell capable of producing 1.4mega-Watts of power
The new Nevera has super-strong but lightweight construction using a carbon-fibre single-cell chassis, a bonded carbon-fibre roof, and carbon-fibre and aluminium which keeps the weight down to around two tonnes
Four bespoke surface-mounted permanent magnet motors drive the Nevera’s wheels individually. Together, they enable 1914hp and 2360Nm of torque – which Rimac says is triple the output of a ‘conventional–engined’ supercar
The Rimac is now officially the fastest accelerating car you can buy and drive legally on the road, dethroning the Bugatti Chiron SuperSport 300+ pictured
The hypercar’s lithium-manganese-nickel batteries reside in an H-shaped, liquid-cooled, 120kWh, 6960-cell capable of producing 1.4mega-Watts of power.
The battery system also forms an integral part of the car’s core, adding 37 per cent structural stiffness to the carbon fibre single-cell monocoque. It also contributes to an ultra-low centre of gravity which helps handling and balance (with a 48/52 front to rear weight distribution).
Four bespoke surface-mounted permanent magnet motors drive the Nevera’s wheels individually. Together, they enable 1914hp and 2360Nm of torque – which Rimac says is triple the output of a ‘conventional–engined’ supercar. The front and rear wheels are each connected to a pair of single-speed gearboxes.
The car also features the world’s first Artificial Intelligence (AI) Driver Coach which provides guidance to optimise and enhance the driver’s on-track performance.
The firm says: ‘Capable of instantly summoning maximum torque from the first moment, the Nevera’s electric motors are 97 per cent efficient – compared with 40 per cent for the most effective internal combustion engines – and completely maintenance-free throughout their operating life.’
Nevera will ‘redefine the norm for performance cars’, says Mr Rimac
Rimac Automobili founder and chief executive Mate Rimac said: ‘This is it. This is the car I had in mind when I embarked on the ‘impossible’ journey ten years ago. All our hard work has resulted in the the Nevera – our record-breaking hypercar.
‘This car was born to outperform, and to raise the bar, redefining the norm for performance cars. And not only in performance – but as an all-round package.’
‘The Nevera proves what is possible when there are no restraints placed on technology, development, or ambition.
‘We will be making just 150 examples of the Nevera, every single unit crafted in Croatia from passion and admiration for cars.’
He said he will personally test and sign off each of the Neveras, before they are delivered to customers.
Mr Rimac revealed he had been inspired by the genius of fellow-Croatian, engineer and futurist Nikola Tesla, when at age 20 he converted his 1984 BMW 3 Series to battery power in his garage in 2008. He founded Rimac Automobili a year later 2009, and now, just 11 years later, has taken on his 1000th employee.
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