Porsche AG has taken a 10% stake in the technology and electric sports car company Rimac Automobili. Rimac develops and produces electric vehicle components and manufactures electric super sports cars. As part of its electrification efforts, Porsche is seeking a development partnership with the young company.

In 2009, founder Mate Rimac began working from his garage on his vision of producing electric sports cars that could both be fast and offer excitement. Rimac recently presented the latest version of its electric hypercar, the “C Two”, at the Geneva Motor Show in March 2018.

The two-seater produces 1914 hp, 2300 N·m of torque, and reaches a top speed of 412 km/h (256 mph); acceleration from 0-60 mph is in 1.85 seconds. It has a range of 650 kilometers (404 miles) (NEDC Cycle), and achieves an 80% battery charge in 30 minutes through a 250 kW fast charging system.

An innovative battery pack in technology and layout delivers 120 kWh energy and 1.4MW of power with exceptional thermal management allowing for two full laps of the Nürburgring at full power—with a negligible drop in performance.

Next-generation R-AWTV (Rimac All-Wheel Torque Vectoring) controls four electric motors, one per each wheel and enables both the safety features such as advanced ABS and ESP as well as a uniquely adaptable all-wheel drive—everything from ultimate grip to rear-wheel drive dynamism, depending on the driver’s preference

Rimac also engineers and manufactures high-performance electric vehicle powertrain systems and battery systems.

By developing the purely electric two-seaters super sports cars, like the ‘Concept One’ or ‘C Two’, as well as core vehicle systems, Rimac has impressively demonstrated its credentials in the field of electromobility. We feel that Rimac’s ideas and approaches are extremely promising, which is why we hope to enter into close collaboration with the company in the form of a development partnership.

—Lutz Meschke, Deputy Chairman of the Executive Board and Member of the Executive Board for Finance and IT at Porsche

The fast-growing Zagreb-based company employs a total of around 400 employees. Rimac’s main focus is on high-voltage battery technology, electric powertrains and the development of digital interfaces between man and machine (HMI Development). Rimac also develops and produces e-bikes under its subsidiary Greyp Bikes, which was founded in 2013.

This partnership now is an important step for Rimac on our way to become a component and system supplier of choice for the industry in electrification, connectivity and the exciting field of Advanced Driver Assistance Systems.

— Mate Rimac