Meet the Fastest Electric Car in the World: The Outstanding Rimac Nevera

Ever wondered what the fastest electric car in the world is, and just assumed it was a Tesla. Easy mistake to make as they are rapid, but actually there several faster, led by the sensational and recently launched Rimac Nevera.

It’s official: The $2.1 million Rimac Nevera is the fastest electric car in the world.

The two-seat hypercar reached a top speed of 412 kilometers (256 miles) per hour Oct. 23 on the ATP Automotive Testing track in Papenburg, Germany—that’s 2 mph slower than what Rimac had long claimed as the Nevera’s top speed. Additionally on the Nov. 15 press release announcing the news, Rimac said it hit 258mph, which would actually be 415kph.

In fact, the claimed top-speed run requires an additional parenthetical: A representative from Guinness World Records was not on-site to certify the record, the spokesperson said, “because it takes an extremely long time to get Guinness certified.” Instead, Rimac used Racelogic V-Box, a high-precision device that measures speed via GPS, to document the run.

Rimac Nevera is an all-electric sports car designed and manufactured by the Croatian automotive manufacturer Rimac Automobili. The first production car was released in August 2021. Rimac will produce 150 vehicles and is currently in the process of homologation for the global market. Nevera is manufactured in the same factory and at the same rate (of roughly 1 per week) as the Pininfarina Battista, which is based on the same platform.

Unveiled at the 2018 Geneva Motor Show called Rimac Concept Two but renamed to Rimac Nevera upon its launch, it is the automaker’s second car after the Rimac Concept One and is described as “the ultimate electric hypercar driving experience”.

However, the Nevera’s white-knuckle electric accomplishment doesn’t beat the top speed record for internal combustion engine cars, which is currently held by the Bugatti Chiron Super Sport 300+ that hit 304mph in 2019. Koenigsegg and SSC Tuatara also make production cars with higher top speeds than the Nevera. By comparison, the typical Formula One race car hits top speeds of roughly 220mph.

The Nevera runs on a four-motor, all-electric powertrain with 1,725 pound-feet of torque, able to be adjusted individually for each wheel. Six drive modes further optimize throttle response and suspension stiffness; drift mode and launch control are included. The company says the car will get 300 miles per charge, but of course that distance diminishes considerably as you approach top speed.

Customer cars come with a top speed limited to 219mph, but those can be tuned to hit 258mph with the support from the Rimac team and under controlled conditions with proper tires and precautions. 

Who is Rimac?

Rimac belongs to Rimac Group, an umbrella company that owns 55% of Bugatti Rimac and 100% of Rimac Technology, a supplier of high-performance battery systems that employs 1,000 people on the outskirts of Zagreb, Croatia, where Neveras are manufactured. Earlier this year, Formula One driver Nico Rosberg received the first one delivered.