The breath catches in your throat, not from excitement, but from sheer, unadulterated force. Driving fast cars is one thing; experiencing the Rimac Nevera’s launch is an entirely different dimension. This isn’t the joyful giggle induced by typical supercar acceleration; it’s a sensation bordering on the surreal, akin to the moments before losing consciousness, a feeling of your essence momentarily displaced. This uncanny experience encapsulates the reality of piloting the $2.2 million, 1914 horsepower, all-electric Rimac Nevera, a machine built to redefine speed.
The Rimac Nevera doesn’t just claim to be quick; it emphatically proves it. Under rigorous independent testing, it shattered nearly two dozen acceleration and braking records, cementing its position as the quickest production car in the world. Let’s put it into perspective: the Rimac Nevera 0-60 mph time is a mind-bending 1.74 seconds. The quarter-mile vanishes in a mere 8.25 seconds. These figures aren’t just incremental improvements; they are quantum leaps ahead of even the most formidable offerings from established marques like Lamborghini, Ferrari, and Bugatti. Yet, outside the circles of dedicated hypercar aficionados, the Nevera, and the groundbreaking company behind it, remain relatively unknown.
Enter Mate Rimac, the Croatian engineering prodigy, and his eponymous electric hypercar company. Born in the unlikely automotive landscape of Croatia in 2009, Rimac Automobili, under the leadership of a then barely-adult Mate Rimac (now 35), has charted an extraordinary trajectory. From humble beginnings, the company has attracted significant investment from automotive giants Porsche and Hyundai. They’ve established a state-of-the-art boutique factory and are constructing a massive production facility to supply cutting-edge electrical components to the global automotive industry. Even Bugatti, synonymous with the pinnacle of automotive speed and exclusivity, recognized the transformative potential of Rimac’s technology, leading to a merger aimed at forging an electrified future for the legendary brand.
Alt text: Rimac Nevera hypercar accelerating on a racetrack showcasing its dynamic design and performance capabilities.
To truly grasp the essence of Rimac and the Nevera, amidst a burgeoning landscape of electric supercars and surprisingly quick electric vehicles, a journey to Zagreb, Croatia, became essential – a pilgrimage to experience this electric marvel firsthand.
My guide was Matija Renić, the Nevera’s chief program engineer. He explained that “nevera” is a local term for a sudden, powerful Mediterranean thunderstorm, appearing without warning – a fitting moniker for a car that has stormed onto the scene with such explosive force. Taller than me, Matija folded himself into the passenger seat and patiently walked me through the Nevera’s core controls, elegantly managed by a trio of meticulously knurled knobs.
The first knob governs the standard PRND settings (park, reverse, neutral, drive), although, typical of electric vehicles, the Nevera operates with a single-speed transmission. The second knob cycles through intuitively named driving modes – Range, Cruise, Sport, Track, Drift – each mode subtly adjusting the suspension stiffness and the intensity and distribution of the Nevera’s immense power across its four motors, one for each wheel. I sampled each mode, finding “Cruise” ideal for comfortable cruising and “Sport” for unleashing that breathtaking surge of acceleration. The final knob allows for granular control over the torque distribution between the front and rear axles. While reminiscent of a McIntosh amplifier’s VU meter in its visual appeal, its practical utility remained somewhat elusive to me, and I largely left it untouched, preferring to simply experience the raw, untamed power of the Rimac Nevera and its record-breaking Rimac Nevera 0-60 mph performance.
Alt text: Interior view of the Rimac Nevera highlighting the meticulously crafted controls and luxurious cabin design.
