In 2021, Rimac revealed its powerful Nevera car with 1,914 horsepower. They planned to make only 150 of them, and people already reserved about 50. But now, the company says not as many people want electric hypercars like the Nevera.
The founder, Mate Rimac, talked about this during a conference in London. He said they started making the Nevera when electric cars were popular. But now, many companies make electric cars because the law says they have to, not just because people want them. Mate Rimac thinks it’s not good when things are forced. He believes products should be good enough to sell themselves. People who can afford a fancy car prefer ones with gasoline engines.
This change in what people want is affecting electric hypercars. These cars, like the Nevera, Pininfarina Battista, and Lotus Evija, are super fast, but some buyers prefer old-fashioned technology. They want cars with gasoline engines instead of electric ones, even though electric cars can be faster.
Mate Rimac used the Apple Watch as an example. He said the Apple Watch can do a lot more things than a regular watch, but people still prefer traditional watches. He mentioned that the Nevera is still selling well, even with this change in demand.
This is why Rimac’s next car, the Bugatti Chiron’s replacement, won’t be electric. It will have a powerful V16 engine instead. Rimac thinks more people will want this car than an electric one. They don’t expect demand for electric hypercars to increase again anytime soon.
But Rimac still believes in electric cars. They work with other carmakers like BMW and Hyundai. Rimac wants to keep making unique cars that offer special experiences. One idea they’re working on is a new type of engine that can run on different fuels like diesel, LPG, or hydrogen. It’s a complex system, but Rimac hopes it will help them make cars that stand out.
