We've been waiting patiently for Croatian hypercar maker Rimac to reveal its newest hypercar in full for a while now. We've caught images of it in the wild with no camo, and its styling has never been a secret. But exact details have been withheld for some time. In preparation for the reveal, Rimac showed us how the C_Two is way quicker than a Bugatti Chiron and then promised that the reveal would happen this week. Now, the wait is over and the new car has a new name too. Meet the spectacular Rimac Nevera, an electric hypercar unlike any other.
Rimac seems to be taking a page out of Pagani's book with this name. While the Italian Huayra is named after a South American wind god, the Croatian Nevera is named after "a mighty and unexpected Mediterranean storm that races across the open see off Croatia". Rimac says that although this car is based on the C_Two that we've seen a great deal of, every single component has been improved and enhanced.
So what do we have here? Big numbers, that's what. Four electric motors produce 1,914 horsepower and 1,740 lb-ft of torque. With each of those motors powering a wheel, traction off the line is certainly not an issue: 0-60 mph comes up in just 1.85 seconds, with the quarter-mile dusted in a scarcely believable 8.6 seconds. Top speed? A frankly stupid 258 mph.
As you can imagine, the company's founder, Mate Rimac, is exceptionally proud of what his team has accomplished: "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 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-around package." But wouldn't the C_Two already meet those criteria?
Rimac continues: "When we first revealed the C_Two, we set our targets extremely high. There was nothing else that could even come close to matching the car's cutting-edge electric powertrain and extreme performance. But for us, that was only the starting point."
Mate Rimac's personal involvement with the car is very real, as he will personally test and sign off each of the Neveras made before they are delivered to customers. Just 150 examples will be produced, all at the company's production facility on the outskirts of Zagreb, Croatia. Each of these cars has been beautifully crafted and features Rimac's signature 'cravat' feature in its flanks.
Rimac Director of Design, Adriano Mudri explains the feature: "Since the 17th Century, the necktie has provided a symbol of Croatian strength and identity, and we first paid tribute to it on our Concept_One hypercar in 2011. And, like every element of the car's design, it is there to provide a key function of the Nevera's performance, serving as an air intake for the rear cooling systems."
Rimac's work on the car, particularly on the diffusers and intakes, has resulted in a 34-percent improvement in aerodynamic efficiency compared to early prototypes. Aero is not the only aspect of the car that has been enhanced by this constant tweaking. Rimac says that the cooling efficiency of both the braking and powertrain systems has improved by 30 percent at low speeds and seven percent at high speeds.
Among these enhancements are active aero upgrades: "The front bonnet profile, underbody flap, rear diffuser, and rear wing can each move independently, driven by complex algorithms that provided the optimum aerodynamic configuration for every driving situation."
In 'low drag' mode, aerodynamic drag is reduced by 17.5 percent to create a drag coefficient of just 0.3. Changing back to 'high downforce' mode increases downforce by an astonishing 326 percent.
Lightweight forged alloy wheels feed air to 390 mm Brembo carbon ceramic brakes with six-piston calipers and ensure smooth airflow down the sides of the car, but that's par for the course in the world of extreme hypercars. What really moves the game forward is "[the] world's most advanced monocoque construction" that includes a bonded carbon roof, integrated structural battery back, and rear carbon subframe. These elements form the "largest single carbon fiber piece in the entire automotive industry." Weighing in at a touch over 440 pounds, this features 2,200 carbon fiber plies and 222 aluminum inserts, encasing the battery in a compact yet incredibly strong structure. Rimac says this helps deliver the most rigid structure of any car ever made.
It's not all about power and stiffness though - a good hypercar needs to be well balanced too. The Nevera delivers here, as its H-shaped, 120 kWh battery with 6,960 cells sits in the heart of the car and enhances stiffness by 37 percent. Sitting low down in the car's floor, the battery contributes to a low center of gravity and a front/rear weight bias of 48/52. Combine that with Rimac's All-Wheel Torque Vectoring 2 that replaces traditional stability programs and traction control, and you have a car that can make over 100 calculations per second, giving you incredible drifting opportunities or excellent grip depending on the setting you're in. Yes, that means there's a drift mode, as well as settings for comfort or track use, plus two setups that you can define, and one for maximum range.
An AI Driving Coach is also fitted, using 12 ultrasonic sensors, 13 cameras, six radars, and the latest NVIDIA Pegasus operating system. This overlays race circuits in real-time and gives you clear and precise audio and visual guidance to help you perfect your steering, braking, and acceleration inputs. This system will become available in 2022 and launched via over-the-air updates. As you can see from all of the above, this is a spectacular technological marvel. But enough geekery, let's open those butterfly doors and peer into the gorgeous cabin. Oh wait, there's quite a bit of tech in there too.
Three high-definition TFT screens are fitted, with the top section focused on "pleasure and performance" and the lower part housing the infotainment system, climate controls, and driving data. Billet aluminum is used for the rotary controls and switches while a connected app can receive anonymized performance data. This app can track GPS location, charging speed and battery status, and analyze driving performance on either iOS or Android devices. As for personalization, Rimac will offer pre-defined trims and material color options in various editions for the indecisive: GT, Signature, Timeless, or you can opt for Bespoke if you want to create something of your own.
As part of the experience, buyers will be invited to Croatia to design their vehicles while the vehicle itself will be available at 19 different dealer sites across the world. At €2 million each ($2.4 million), buyers will surely be open to a vacation spent designing their dream cars. No word on when deliveries will begin, but we're sure that those who can afford such a vehicle have other means of transportation available. Welcome to the future of hypercars.