MEET THE TERRIFYING 1,914 HP RIMAC C TWO ELECTRIC SUPERCAR

The rumors surrounding the all-new Rimac C Two strained the imagination. It would have 2000 HP, they said. It would sprint from 0-60 MPH in less than two seconds, it would cross the finish line at a 1/4 mile drag strip in just 9 seconds and, given enough road, would hit the 300 km/h (186 MPH) mark less than 3 seconds later. It would, Rimac promised, be a world-beater- and, the kicker: it would be 100% electric.

Now, here it is. Meet the 1,914 HP, 1,696 TQ all-electric Rimac C Two. And, if I might comment on the general state of the supercar business, the only thing more impressive than its spec sheet- which includes a 258 top speed and a 400 mile driving range- is the fact that it’s actually nice to look at.

With this kind of follow-up supercar act and a lofty ambition to become a leading supplier of OEM EV components, Rimac, it seems, is the real deal. But Rimac isn’t stopping at big, bad EV bits. It’s pushing the boundaries in other areas, too.

To that end, Rimac has promised that each C Two would pack the computing power “of 22 MacBook Pro” laptops and deliver level 4 autonomous driving features. Keeping the car out of the wrong hands falls to advanced facial recognition software that can read your mood and adjust the car’s settings- thing like throttle response and traction control interference, probably- based on how you’re getting on behind the wheel. Which, you know, will probably help you not die.

None of that matters, though, because you and I will probably never get to drive one. I mean, I might- but I’ve lucked into so much track time behind the wheel of high-strung exotic cars already that the universe is probably going to cut me off soon, you know? Check out the 12-picture Rimac photo gallery, below, then let us know how you feel about Rimac’s odds of taking on Tesla in the comments section at the bottom of the page.

Rimac C Two | 2000 HP Electric Hyper Car

Source | Images: Rimac, via Jalopnik.

That Was Then, This Is Now. Atieva Changes Name To Lucid Motors

How quickly things change in the car business. Just last week, the people at RECODE revealed a sketch discovered during a public records search of what may be the upcoming Atieva Atvus sedan. Over the past 7 days, Atieva has changed its name to Lucid Motors and released teaser photos of a vehicle that may or may not be the Atvus. The name on the steering world could say LUCID, but you would need to check with an ophthalmologist to be sure.

Details are few. The company says the sedan will have an 87 kWh battery, 900 horsepower, and a 0 to 60 time of under 3 seconds. Its website extols the car’s  “long range driving and exhilarating acceleration.” Earlier this year, Atieva posted videos of Mercedes cargo van supposedly reinvigorated with the production drivetrain dusting off a Tesla Model S and a Ferrari in a drag race. Of course, that was before Tesla unleashed its all conquering P100D with Ludicrous — the world’s fastest production electric car.

(Yes, we know the Rimac Concept One is a tick faster, but with only two in existence, that hardly qualifies as a “production car, does it?)

Ownership of the company, whether it is called Atieva or Lucid, is murky. Apparently, its principal investor is Jia Yueting, the Chinese billionaire who is also the force behind LeEco, a Chinese electric car start-up that says it will offer the LeSEE electric sedan in the Chinese market soon. A concept version of that car has been making the show circuit since last April and was on display in San Franciscorecently.

Lucid has reportedly received funding from Japan’s Mitsui as well as China’s Beijing Auto. The company is planning to build a factory that will make 20,000 vehicles during its first year of production and work its way up to 130,000 vehicles a year. Lucid is headed by chief technology officer Peter Rawlinson, the former Tesla vice president who was key in developing the Model S electric sedan. The Menlo Park, California based company also includes vice president of design Derek Jenkins who previously worked with Mazda.

Lucid says it will unveil a production prototype of the sedan before the end of 2016 and plans to start production in 2018. Since it doesn’t even have a factory yet, that claim is hard to believe.

Here are two more photos from Lucid. One looks suspiciously like the grille of a Chevy Camaro from a few years back and the other resembles the back window of a Studebaker Avanti. Derek Jenkins may have been a whiz kid at Mazda, but the Atvus, if that it is really what it’s called, looks decidedly dated and more than a little bland.

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Source: AutoBlog

Rimac Secures Investors To Build Concept_One Electric Supercar

Two high-profile investors put their money behind the 1,088 horsepower Rimac Concept_One electric supercar, bringing this quiet riot closer to production. Want one? All you’ll need is a million bucks and a place on the growing waiting list.

Better hurry though, as production of the Concept_One will be limited to just 88 examples, and you can bet investor Frank Kanayet Yepes has already signed on to get his. Yepes, a South American businessman with Croation origins, has also invested in the all-electric Formula E Championship despite making his millions in the oil and gas industry. Maybe this is his way of making up for a lifetime of working for Big Oil?

Nah. The owner of an uber-rare Ferrari 599XX (1 of 33, not even street legal!) probably just really loves fast, cool, high-tech cars, and there are few cars cooler than this Ferrari-crushing EV.

The other investor is Sinocop Resources, a minerals and metals company listed on the Hong Kong stock exchange. Sinocop has reportedly signed a non-binding agreement to take a 10% stake in Rimac, which is more than just one electric supercar. Founder Mate Rimac has built what he claims is the world’s quickest electric car, a custom BMW M3, and the Rimac-designed Greyp is an electric bicycle with grand ambitions of its own. As for the Concept_One, production is slated to begin next year…and it looks like it might actually happen.

With this newfound investment, Rimac plans to double the development team by the end of the year, though the company will go beyond million-dollar supercars and glossy electric bikes. Rimac wants to build and sell proprietary electric power systems in the burgeoning EV market, though building a dedicated line of electric vehicles remains priority one.

Could this be the beginnings of a Croatian Tesla?

Source: Tech EU via Motor Authority

Million-Dollar EV Supercar Company Building…Electric Bicycle?

The Rimac Automobili Concept One is the stunningly beautiful and ridiculously fast million-dollar electric supercar that hails from the country of Croatia. It’s been on a world tour as of late, and as one might expect the engineering minds behind the Concept One haven’t been idle. Their next project, the world’s “most advanced electric bicycle”, isn’t quite what I expected.

Rimac has not released any details on the Greyp Bike, save for this website, a silhouette, and a statement saying “The World’s Most Advanced Electric Bicycle, Coming From The Minds Behind The Fastest Electric Supercar.” The big debut is set for London’s Salon Privé in early September.

Electric bicycles are all the rage across Asia, and they’re starting to catch on in Europe and America too (despite New York City’s silly ban on e-bikes). It’ll be interesting to see what Rimac comes up with, and if it’ll actually be affordable, or just another sexy-but-too-expensive EV teaser.

Source: Greyp-Bikes

Rimac Concept_One EV Supercar Crushes Ferrari In Race - VIDEO

While electric vehicles for the masses have gotten off to a slow start, every other week there seems to be a new ultra-high-end electric sports car for the world’s wealthy elite. Right now the Rimac Concept_One electric supercar is on a tour of the Middle East, and to prove its worth, Rimac set up an impromptu drag race. With a Ferrari. Bet you know where this is going.

With four electric motors producing a combined 1,073 horsepower and 1,180 ft-lbs of torque, the Rimac Concept_One is one of the most powerful vehicles in the world, gas or electric. With a 0-60 mph time of just 2.8 seconds and a silent-but-deadly powertrain, the Concept_One is currently showcasing its capabilities to the sheiks and oil barons of the Middle East.

Of course the Middle East is a hotbed for exotic car purchases, and one needn’t look hard to find a parking lot full of Ferraris and Lamborghinis, which are almost common place. That said, we wouldn’t call a Ferrari 458 Spider with a 540 horsepower 4.5 liter V8 a “common” car, though the Rimac electric supercar dispatches it with ease in a parking lot drag race. Just watching this electric supercar breaking its rear tires loose is relentlessly enjoyable.

Electric supercars may soon displace Ferraris and Lambos as the chariot of choice for the wealthiest among us, and Rimac is positioning itself as a literal leader in pure electric speed for a new century.

Source:  Carscoops

Fastest Electric Cars: 'Green Monster' Vs. 'White Zombie'

Once a speed freak, always a speed freak: That's the tale behind Mate Rimac, creator of the Rimac Concept_One electric supercar.

The striking supercar appeared from nowhere to us, but Rimac himself had prior experience with fast EVs--a BMW 3-Series known as 'Green Monster'.

The 'Green' bit is obvious--it's an electric car for starters, and the color is fairly self-explanatory too.

'Monster' is down to what powers the E30 BMW: A 600-horsepower, 664 lbs-ft electric motor.

Performance is literally electric--60 mph zips by in only 3.3 seconds, which is enough to out-point most current supercars, and top speed is a highly respectable 174 mph. Range hasn't been forgotten either, as the 'Monster will manage 112 miles on a charge. Probably not at 174 mph, though.

However, the Green Monster doesn't quite manage Rimac's claim that it's the fastest-accelerating electric car, as we can remember another which lays claim to that title--White Zombie. You guessed it, White Zombie is white. It's not a zombie though. Instead, it's a 1972 Datsun 1200 Coupe, with the '1200' bit removed and a Hi Torque Electric motor installed in its place.

On lithium-ion batteries, the car has done a 10.258-second quarter mile at 123.79 mph--around 1.6 seconds quicker than Green Monster's 11.808-second best.

That said, Green Monster has still set records for its class, and Rimac has an ace up his sleeve--the Concept_One supercar, with over 1,000 horsepower, is set to destroy them both very soon...

Source: Green Car Reports

Rimac Concept_One looks lovely in London at Salon Privé, but expect changes - VIDEO

The Salon Privé is England's most exclusive automobile show, and with its exotic looks, hypercar performance and posh price tag, the Rimac Automobili Concept_One is fitting in quite nicely. And while the upper class crowd in attendance might be able gaze upon it and imagine the all-electric, all-wheel-drive Croatian super steed in their stable, what they will actually receive if they write out a check will be somewhat different. It will be, in a word, better.

In addition to a different name – the moniker Concept_One would, after all, be incongruous on a production vehicle – the exterior styling of the customer version will receive an evolutionary finessing. But that's only the beginning. Starting with a heavily restyled interior, practically everything else will be altered.

With an eye to decreasing weight and increasing performance, we can expect the 2014 machine to feature a new, lighter chassis to accommodate an improved drivetrain. Although battery capacity should remain in the 92-kWh neighborhood, it has also been updated. So has the suspension.

The end product will be larger in practically every dimension – wider, longer, taller – yet, is expected to exceed the original 305 km/h (190 mile per hour) target and, possibly, its 2.8-second 0 to 60. No doubt, handling will also benefit.

As anxious as we are to see the Concept_One's replacement though, the original still has some things yet to show us and we look forward to sharing some surprises in the near future. In the meantime, scroll down for video from CNN featuring the car in action, along with the official press release.

Rimac Concept One - Video

Rimac Concept One video:

Rimac Concept_One shows up in Monaco with $980k sticker price

It takes a lot to stand apart at an exposition as jam-packed with glitzy treasure as the Frankfurt Motor Show and impress the hordes of automotive journalists there assembled, but we were suitably impressed when we laid eyes upon the Rimac Concept_One at the Messe this past September. The Croatian upstart put together a supercar of (figurative, if not literal) Bugatti proportions, but instead of building it around a fossil-guzzling conventional powerplant, Rimac designed its hypercar with the equivalent of 1,088 horsepower worth of electric motors.

With a 92-kWh battery powering the electric motors at each wheel, the Rimac is said to be capable of rocketing to 62 from a standstill in just 2.8 seconds while traveling as far as 372 miles on a single charge. The team of former Pininfarina designers penned an attractive shape to go with it, the Bulgarian leathercrafters extraordinaires at Vilner were brought in to work on the interior, HRE developed a unique set of monoblock alloys and Vredestein debuted its new Ultrac Vorti tires designed by Giugiaro all for the Concept_One.

Impressive specs, all, but what's most impressive is that the Concept_One is no mere concept – you can actually buy it, assuming you've got the scratch. Upon showcasing the electric supercar at the Top Marques show in Monaco, Rimac announced a limited run of 88 examples will be built, each fetching $980,000 – a price as princely as the regent who was on hand to check it out in Monte Carlo. Which only goes to prove that you can, indeed, have your cake and eat it too, but it'll cost you dearly.


Source: Autoblog Green