Rimac Nevera R tops 268mph to become world's fastest EV

Hardcore version of Nevera outpaces Bugatti Veyron Supersport and clocks 0-62mph in stunning 1.66sec The new Rimac Nevera R has officially become the world's fastest electric car, clocking a top speed of 268.2mph. That means the more hardcore version of Rimac's EV hypercar is also one of the world's fastest production cars of all time - surpassing even the Bugatti Veyron Supersport. The independently verified top speed was confirmed as part of a final round of validation tests ahead of customer deliveries getting under way - during which, Rimac says, the 2078bhp Nevera R claimed "new world records in 24 categories". Surpassing "every performance record previously set by the standard Nevera", the R also proved itself the world's fastest-accelerating production car, sprinting from 0-60mph in a dazzling 1.66sec - 0.08sec quicker than the standard car. The R also achieved a record 0-400-0kmh (0-249-0mph) time of just 25.79sec – just over two seconds quicker than the previous fastest car – and completed a quarter-mile sprint in 7.9sec, a 0.35sec improvement. Company founder and CEO Mate Rimac said: “When we first introduced Nevera, it almost seemed like the pinnacle of hypercar performance had been reached. In a single generation, we had created a performance jump that previously would have taken decades. "But now, through relentless innovation, Nevera R goes even faster, while still maintaining much of the comfort and practicality that makes the Nevera a real, usable daily car. Breaking records is in our DNA, and we won’t stop here.” While Rimac remains committed to breaking boundaries for outright performance, it is possible that the company's next car may not be fully electric. In May last year, Rimac had not yet sold all 150 examples of the standard Nevera, and Mate Rimac suggested that "the narrative" around electric cars had changed, and buyers were becoming "a little bit repulsed" by the "forced application" of EV propulsion. He said that Nevera development began in 2016 on the assumption that "electric cars would be cool in a few years", but instead appetite for ultra-high-end EVs was waning in favour of more traditional, analogue alternatives. "An Apple Watch can do everything better. It can do 1000 more things; it's a lot more precise; it can measure your heart rate. But nobody would pay $200,000 for an Apple Watch," he said, adding that Rimac could branch out from EVs in a bid to tap into that demand. "Rimac isn’t exclusively electric. It’s doing whatever is most exciting at the time,” he said. The Nevera R's game-changing performance statistics will no doubt play a big part in re-igniting excitement around electric performance cars. However, all-out speed wasn’t the overall goal, said Rimac. Instead, greater focus was placed on making the R a better-handling and more agile proposition than its grand tourer sibling. Billed as an electric “hyper sports car”, the R is fitted with next-generation all-wheel torque-vectoring tech, which has been tuned to suit its new Michelin Cup 2 tyres, and a steering rack that has been revised to deliver sharper responses and crisper feedback. This is claimed to reduce maximum understeer by 10% and increase maximum lateral grip by 5%. A new fixed rear wing, combined with a new large front diffuser, helps to boost maximum downforce by 15% and maximum aerodynamic efficiency by 10%, enabling sharper, faster cornering. In line with its extra 190bhp, the Nevera R is fitted with carbon-ceramic EVO2 brakes. As a result of these measures, Rimac says the R “sets a new benchmark” for “driving excitement” on twisting B-roads. The R retains the same 120kWh battery as its sibling, which was good for as much as 250 miles in the standard Nevera. The Croatian brand has yet to confirm official range figures for the R. Mate Rimac said: “We’re relentlessly tweaking to customers’ desires and many were looking for a car that really emphasised the Nevera’s cornering ability, using all the advanced technology on board. “We responded with the Nevera R: all the DNA of the record-breaking Nevera, but lighter, faster and more focused.” Launched exclusively in Nebula green, the R costs £1.97 million before personalisations – of which there are hundreds of options – are added. The standard Nevera is priced at £1.72m.

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Rimac Nevera R tops 268mph to become world's fastest EV

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