Rimac said its $2.1 million Nevera is the world’s fastest all-electric production car.
The two-seat hypercar reached a top speed of 258 mph (412 kph) on Oct. 23 on the ATP Automotive Testing track in Papenburg, Germany, Rimac said in a statement.
Rimac’s effort is an exciting turn in the world of electric cars that consumers can actually buy.
The Nevera was faster than top speeds from other electric vehicles like the Pininfarina Battista at 217 mph and Aspark Owl at 249mph; a modified Tesla Model S Plaid reached 216 mph this past summer.
However, the Nevera’s white-knuckle electric accomplishment does not beat the top speed record for internal combustion engine cars, which is currently held by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ that hit 304 mph in 2019.
Koenigsegg and SSC Tuatara also make production cars with higher top speeds than the Nevera. By comparison, the typical Formula One race car hits top speeds of roughly 220 mph.
Miro Zrnčević, Rimac’s chief test and development driver, piloted the 1,914-horsepower hypercar to its limit.
“I have driven the Nevera since it first turned a wheel and to see the perfectly honed car that is today is a really emotional moment,” he said in the statement, adding that 258 mph is one-third of the speed of sound.
“The most important thing I have learned during the top-speed attempt is how composed and stable the car was,” Zrnčević said.
The Nevera runs on a four-motor, all-electric powertrain with 1,725 pound-feet of torque, able to be adjusted individually for each wheel. Six drive modes further optimize throttle response and suspension stiffness; drift mode and launch control are included.
The company says the car will get 300 miles per charge, but of course that distance diminishes considerably as you approach top speed.
Customer cars come with a top speed limited to 219 mph, but those can be tuned to hit 258 mph with the support from the Rimac team and under controlled conditions with proper tires and precautions, the spokesperson said.
Rimac belongs to Rimac Group, an umbrella company that owns 55 percent of Bugatti Rimac and 100 percent of Rimac Technology, a supplier of high-performance battery systems that employs 1,000 people on the outskirts of Zagreb, Croatia, where Neveras are manufactured.
Earlier this year, Formula One driver Nico Rosberg was the first customer to receive a Nevera.