The Rimac Nevera hypercar has laid claim to be the world’s fastest electric production car – having reached a mighty top speed of 258mph.
The two-seat coupe recently went into production, and features four electric motors – one placed at each wheel – that combine for a total output of 1427kW. They are powered by a 120kWh battery, giving a range of up to 340 miles – although obviously not if you drive it anywhere near flat-out.
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And driving it flat-out is exactly what Rimac has done to showcase the ultimate potential of the machine. The new record was set at the Automotive Testing Papenburg track in Germany, a large 7.6-mile oval featuring a pair of 2.5-mile straights linked by two curves with variable banking up to 49.7 degrees.
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Driven by chief test driver Miro Zrnčević, the Nevera was in standard production form, and fitted with road-legal Michelin Cup 2R tyres. Zrnčević had to perfect the exit from the banked corner to have a chance of reaching V-MAX – in technical terms, that's the point when Scotty from Star Trek would shout ‘I’m giving it all she’s got, Captain’.
The 258mph (412kph) top speed was measured on a Racelogic V-Box GPS device, and matched the target that Rimac had set at the launch of the machine (then called the C_Two) at the 2018 Geneva motor show.
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For context, 258mph is a third of the speed of sound. Zrnčević said: “The most important thing I have learned during the top-speed attempt is how composed and stable the car was – confirming that our aerodynamics and vehicle dynamics teams have done an amazing job.”
While Nevera deliveries to customers have begun, the machines will as standard be limited to a top speed of ‘only’ 219mph. But they will have the opportunity to push the top speed during special customer events with the support from the Rimac team. That involves plenty of checks and tests, most significantly ensuring that the tyres are in good enough condition to cope with the stress of the speed run.
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