With 1,914 horsepower and 1,740 lb-ft of torque, the Rimac Nevera is one powerful machine. Four electric motors allow the all-electric supercar to hit 60 mph in just 1.85 seconds before hitting a top speed of 258 mph. These numbers are impressive and translate into truly awe-inspiring performance.
Ahead of customer deliveries, Rimac is putting the battery-powered monster through its final paces by drifting it at speed in sub-zero conditions. Testing took place at Pirelli's Sottozero Centre, situated near the Arctic Circle in Sweden, where freezing temperatures allowed engineers to fine-tune key systems like the ABS, ESP, and torque vectoring. Customers need to know the Nevera can perform in the most extreme conditions. "Even after two weeks spent at temperatures of about -15°C (5°F), and a fairly demanding testing regime, our validation prototype performed at 100% throughout, so we know that all our core systems can perform reliably even in extreme conditions," said CEO Mate Rimac.
Driver aids weren't the only instruments tasked with proving their mettle. Rimac took the opportunity to test the Nevera on its recommended winter tires, Pirelli's P Zero Winter. This unique rubber wears a specific insignia on the sidewall that denotes the joint development work carried out by Pirelli and Rimac.
The company's Chief Test and Development Driver, Miroslav Zrncevic, said testing on a low grip surface allows the team to understand how the different systems perform in colder climates. "Things happen much more slowly than they would do on asphalt, and we have nice, even, smooth handling tracks so we know the data we get isn't affected by surface imperfections or temperature swings. After these two weeks of testing, we're happy to see exactly the results we wanted to achieve."
The world's fastest accelerating production car over a quarter-mile is shaping up to be a fastidiously built supercar. We've previously seen the dramatically styled supercar subjected to tough crash tests which, by the way, it passed with flying colors. Based on the torture inflicted on this pre-production model, we can assume the Nevera will be a rather hard-wearing supercar.
Limited to 150 units, the Nevera is set to be one special motorcar. If you've got the wherewithal but didn't make the cut, don't worry. The newly founded Bugatti Rimac joint venture recently teased two new supercars. We've previously said the Bugatti may be an electrified baby brother to accompany the Chiron in its final years, but the covered Rimac may very well be a more hardcore version of the Nevera. Perhaps it will debut as a track-focused, more dynamic derivative.