Automotive

Rimac now accepting reservations for 1,088 hp electric supercar

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The Rimac Concept One traveled to the recent Top Marques Monaco
Nearly 1,100 horses and 1,200 lb-ft of sheer electric potency
The Concept One uses an electric motor, reduction gearbox and inverter in each wheel
For an unknown start-up, Rimac knows how to style a car
Range anxiety? Not with up to 370 miles
If you have a million bucks or so, you can reserve your Concept One now
Rimac's selected a high-performance Vredestein Ultrac Vorti tire
Only 88 Concept Ones will be produced
The Rimac Concept One traveled to the recent Top Marques Monaco
Lucky attendees got up close to the Concept One
Plenty of pictures of the wheels, but for some reason Rimac doesn't have a picture of the rear end in its press gallery
Rimac says deliveries will begin in 2013
View gallery - 11 images

An all-electric, 1,088 hp, Croatian supercar - if you didn't know differently, you might think we were just stringing a bunch of random adjectives together on a dare. But those adjectives actually describe a real, live concept car - the Rimac Concept One - which is now available for reservation ahead of deliveries in 2013.

After our first encounter with the Rimac Concept One last year, you could be forgiven maintaining some healthy skepticism on the performance specs quoted. Every claim about the car was difficult to digest: 2,800 lb-ft (3,500 Nm) of torque, 1,088-hp, 0-to-62 mph (100 km/h) in 2.8 seconds, 372 miles (600 km) of range, all from a fully electric car. That just doesn't happen in today's world.

But it looks like Rimac is determined to prove all naysayers wrong. The company brought the Concept One to the Top Marques Monaco event earlier this week, where it officially opened its books for reservations and deposits. It didn't specify how much of their life savings buyers of the world's most outrageous electric supercar will have to part with, but media reports have had the price hovering around the US$1 million mark. Deliveries are planned for a 2013 start, and Rimac will only make 88 models.

For an unknown start-up, Rimac knows how to style a car

While it looks like the car may be more than vaporware, its outrageous numbers are already dropping down to Earth. Perhaps the number that stood out the most when the Concept One debuted was that massive 2,800 lb-ft (3,500 Nm) of torque. We know electric motors are all about torque, but that just seemed a little ridiculous. Well, in its latest press release, Rimac cuts its torque claims by more than half to 1,180 lb-ft (1,600 Nm). We won't be surprised if numbers like range and acceleration also humble down a little as Rimac works toward production.

The company has also selected a new tire for the Concept One. It chose Vredestein Ultrac Vorti high-performance tires because it believes they'll deliver the best grip and performance when operated with Rimac's four in-wheel motors.

Source: Rimac

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25 comments
Slowburn
Even assuming that the speed, acceleration, and range numbers are correct you won't get three digit range if you use the speed and acceleration.
Mark A
Another practical car for the masses.
mrhuckfin
I would love to see this one come out, it does kind of remind me ( specification wise) of the Lighting GT that's been talked about here on Gizmag as well, it also seems to be in a continual state of almost "ready to be released" as well? But I must admit this is the best looking one I've seen yet! :-)
floccipaucinihilipilification
again,proof that it can be done,and again,potentially putting the big players to shame. it's as if they,the big players,don't want it to happen....but,what's staring them in the face?
Mat
Ferrari, Lamborghini, McLaren, Pagani, Bugatti et al. go to extreme lengths to reduce unsprung weight, all the way from lightweight composite rims and ceramic brake discs to pushrod actuated suspension designs. For a performance car maker to use hub motors seems to me to be a poor choice. I would imagine that mounting the motors inboard would make far more sense from a handling perspective. I seem to remember that the Lightning GT also used hub motors. I would be curious to hear the engineer's reasoning. This is supposed to be a hyper car, not a Haulpak.
L1ma
How much will it cost to replace the lithium Ion battery pack after 2 years of life?, and will you be able to if they only making 88 of them?.
Denis Klanac
Mat, you contradicted yourself in your comment. the fact that the motors are in the wheels makes them unsprung. so how did you come to the conclusion that this was a poor choice?
The Hoff
I really love the way this car looks but people with fast cars hardly ever drive them fast so this car will probably go more then 200 miles on a charge.
Gerald Grey
I thinking those who are able to afford one of these could possibly afford to also put together a team of appropriate skilled people to actually build something similar? If back yard 'tinkerers' can build their own electric vehicles then surely a privately funded team could make one hell of an 'electric beast'...press 'like' if you agree :-)
Frank Forte
Awesome! Unfortunately, that kind of acceleration will likely destroy the batteries prematurely.