There's a New World's Fastest Production EV

It was traveling at one third the speed of sound.

When the Rimac Nevera was first revealed in 2018 at the Geneva Motor Show, the company set a bonkers top speed target for its new hypercar. But now the vehicle has hit its goal by going ridiculously fast.

Rimac just announced that it was able to get the Nevera up to 412 kilometers per hour (or 258 miles per hour) during a recent test run at the Automotive Testing Papenburg track in Germany. Miro Zrnčević, Rimac’s Chief Test and Development Driver, was behind the wheel and accurately described the experience as traveling at one third the speed of sound. Or, to put it in American sports terms, it’s like traveling one football field per second.

To push the car to that limit, the Rimac Nevera was configured in top speed mode, an aerodynamic profile that achieves the suitable mix of drag and downforce. The hypercar also needed Michelin Cup 2R tires, which the company assured were “road legal,” and a test track with four-kilometer straightaways.

The Nevera earns its hypercar status with eye-popping specs like 1,914 horsepower and the ability to go from 0-60 miles per hour in only 1.85 seconds. Rimac is currently manufacturing the Nevera at its facility in Croatia and it has already delivered some to customers.

The bad news for buyers, besides the $2.1 million price tag, is that the Nevera is delivered to customers only capable of a top speed of 218 miles per hour, which is barely fast enough to eat breakfast in New York City and then make it to Los Angeles in time for dinner. However, Rimac said its team would help boost a Nevera to its real top speed during special customer events under controlled conditions if anyone’s interested.


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