Rimac Nevera Time Attack marks new 'ring record
Outright lap record still belongs to combustion power, but the EVs are closing in
We all know how rapid the Nevera is, but Rimac likes to remind us once in a while by rewriting the record books. Now it’s hit the big one: a new lap record for an electric production car around the Nürburgring and, to celebrate such a feat, it’s releasing a limited-run Time Attack edition carrying the same livery as the record setter.
Watching the onboard video of Croatian GT ace Martin Kodric guiding the Nevera around the 12.9-mile Nordschleife shows just how alien driving an electric car at pace can be. Obviously there's no engine revs or gearbox whine to help serve as a speed reference; only the sound of the car tearing through the air, the way the car moves in each corner and the blurriness of the scenery. After expertly stringing all 154 corners together, Kodric crossed the line with a 7:05.298, some 20 seconds faster than the previous record holder - the Tesla Model S Track Pack. It’s still got some way to go to set the outright record for a production car, which is currently held by the Mercedes-AMG One at 6:35.18, but it seems inevitable that the gap between combustion and EV lap times will shrink in the not-too-distant future.
Rimac was clearly confident that it’d be coming away from the Nürburgring with a new record under its belt for it to launch a special edition so soon after the occasion. The Nevera Time Attack edition is finished in the same paintwork as the record-setter, with the green stripes serving as a nod to founder Mate Rimac’s e-M3, which was deemed the fastest EV in the world back in 2012. My, have times changed. While the e-M3 mustered only 600hp, the Nevera’s four electric motors (one on each wheel) combined produce 1,914hp and 1,741lb ft of torque which, frankly, sounds like it’d be terrifying on the Green Hell.
Speaking after his record run, Kodric said “driving it around the Nordschleife is a real thrill, from launching out of the Karussell, with 1,914hp being distributed between the four wheels, or pinning the accelerator to the floor down the 1.30-mile (2.8-kilometre) straight section.” We’ll have to take his word for it, because there’s little chance any of us will get to experience a Nevera at full chat – let alone a Time Attack edition. Only 12 examples of the limited-run model are earmarked for production, all of which have found buyers. Blast.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6Y2zZlXmcU8
It's a very very fast car (quickest production car in the world I think?) but it's also heavy, some might say unnecessarily so, it has 200mile+ range.
I'm more interested in whether it can do as much track action as a comparable combustion engine car with a tank of fuel. Should that not be the focus?
I've seen videos of the car in action and I am certainly impressed with the whole story behind the brand and car. I don't find the Nevera very exciting to look at though.
You could build a system that would output full power all the time you want to accelerate, and generate at full power the whole time you're braking, but that system would be so large the car (truck?) would be slow.
It'll take many generations* for the losses to be minimised across the battery/inverter/motorgen/cooling system so that it can do this sort of thing effectively.
*pun, sue me.
That is bloody huge considering the size of the car.
They certainly were not making any effort to reduce weight, were they!
The Nevera has a 120 kWh battery, so over the twice the size !
Comparing a TM3 SR to a Nevera, is like comping a Skoda Fabia to a Bugatti Veyron
I'm more interested in whether it can do as much track action as a comparable combustion engine car with a tank of fuel. Should that not be the focus?
I've seen videos of the car in action and I am certainly impressed with the whole story behind the brand and car. I don't find the Nevera very exciting to look at though.
Like a 10 year old doing a bit of martial arts, no danger to you know but in 10 years you will getting your arse kicked.
ICE development has stopped by and large, EV development is in full swing, I wouldnt bet against the outright lap record being an EV soon.
We were stood at the viewing point of Breidscheid when this came flying through. I'm not an EV fan myself but it was mighty impressive the speed of the thing - fair bit of tyre squeal and the eerie wooshing/whirring sound of air flow/battery combined.
Makes you realise though how impressive the sub 7-min combustion times are - i.e. 992 GT3 RS (with a fraction of the power), Huracan Performante, AMG GT Black Series etc. etc. - cars that are also a fraction of the price of the Nivera.
They certainly were not making any effort to reduce weight, were they!
The original (lightest ever) model 3 would have been the 1st gen 1611kg standard-range one with a 50kWh battery and 283bhp.
Both the teslas are 400V architecture (so, chunky cabling).
The nevera is 2300kg with a 120-kWh battery and 1916bhp. It uses an 800V architecture (lighter).
Comparing the battery capacities in particular (because the batteries are the single heaviest bit of the car), the Nevera is actually doing pretty well here. I'd imagine they could strip the interior and whatnot from it for a track version but the oily bits are actually pretty light for what's happening.
It's corner speeds after the Karussell aren't particularly impressive tbh.
I think it runs about on pretty road-biased (albeit bespoke, probably for speed and load) PS4 rather than the Cup 2 R that something like a 911 GT2 RS MR would have on.
They certainly were not making any effort to reduce weight, were they!
The original (lightest ever) model 3 would have been the 1st gen 1611kg standard-range one with a 50kWh battery and 283bhp.
Both the teslas are 400V architecture (so, chunky cabling).
The nevera is 2300kg with a 120-kWh battery and 1916bhp. It uses an 800V architecture (lighter).
Comparing the battery capacities in particular (because the batteries are the single heaviest bit of the car), the Nevera is actually doing pretty well here. I'd imagine they could strip the interior and whatnot from it for a track version but the oily bits are actually pretty light for what's happening.
Speaking of McMurtry, they are the ones to watch for breaking the record.
It's corner speeds after the Karussell aren't particularly impressive tbh.
I think it runs about on pretty road-biased (albeit bespoke, probably for speed and load) PS4 rather than the Cup 2 R that something like a 911 GT2 RS MR would have on.
I only clocked the corner speeds because I was thinking I'm pretty sure my car took those corners faster - and I was right, my Lotus was faster on every single corner after Karussell. OK it's lighter but on the other hand I've only done 2 Nurburgring trackdays, less than 50 laps total and am a middle aged slightly overweight dad from Essex.
A Spéirling is only 3.45m long, 1.58m wide and 1.02m high and weight around1,000kg. The Rimac Nevera is 1.3m longer at 4.75m, 0.4m wider at 1.98 m and 20cm taller
A Spéirling is only 3.45m long, 1.58m wide and 1.02m high and weight around1,000kg. The Rimac Nevera is 1.3m longer at 4.75m, 0.4m wider at 1.98 m and 20cm taller
I wouldn't be surprised to see one beat the Ring record within the next year or two.
People will need to reset completely the potential performance available in even modest everyday cars over the next few years.
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