[SoCalGuy]

Pretty awesome looking car...very Fisker-esque. Reminded me of what Fisker's next coupe sports car might look like...

Specs:
1,088hp, all-wheel drive (four motors)
2,800 lbft torque
0-60mph in 2.8s
92kwh battery
370 miles (600km) of range
Weight: 3,638lbs
Limited production of 88 units starting in 2013

Oh yeah, the founder is 23 years old.

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8BV1FCMGgps&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[Fabulist]

Pretty awesome looking car...very Fisker-esque. Reminded me of what Fisker's next coupe sports car might look like...
Specs:
1,088hp, all-wheel drive (four motors)
2,800 lbft torque
0-60mph in 2.8s
92kwh battery
370 miles (600km) of range
Limited production of 88 units starting in 2013

Very impressive concept, almost like an electric Veyron. What I don't get is how they can claim getting 1000+ Horsepower and 370 Mile range. Surely, you can get one of the other, but not both.

Also, unless you live right next door to a substation, charging up a 92 KWH battery is going to take a long, long, long time. At 30 Amps 220V, for example, it would take almost 14 hours to draw 92 KWH. To do the same charge in 6 hours, you have to draw 70 Amps, which is a big chunk of the 200A maximum draw you are allocated from the grid. I guess since they are only going to make 88 of these, the impact on the world's electric grid is not very substantial.

 

[SoCalGuy]

I just wonder how much these are going to cost...

Would love to test drive it and see how it handles ... if the Roadster looked like this, Tesla would have sold 10 times as many (assuming the same price)...

 

[Fabulist]

Did these guys use the same logo designer as Tesla? There may be a TM lawsuit in their future:

vs.

[hr]

I just wonder how much these are going to cost...

Would love to test drive it and see how it handles ... if the Roadster looked like this, Tesla would have sold 10 times as many (assuming the same price)...

Their battery spec seems ambitious, to say the least:

By my math, they plan to have a storage density of 92KWH/500Kg = 0.184 KWH/Kg. Compared to Fisker's 20KWH/266Kg = 0.075 KWH/Kg, they have ways to go.

I like the idea of one motor per wheel.

This means that all the various drivers' aids (ABS, traction control, yaw control, stability assist, torque vectoring, etc.) could be implemented mostly in software and without complicated gearing systems.

 

[SoCalGuy]

Did these guys use the same logo designer as Tesla? There may be a TM lawsuit in their future:

vs.

[hr]

One of the specs that they flash up in their video is that the battery weighs 500 Kilograms and stores 92 KWH. This would put the storage density at 81 WH/Pound compared to Fisker's 33 WH/Pound. To expect a near threefold increase in storage density in the next couple of years seems super optimistic to say the least.

The logo only has in common that its in the shape of a shield...so that's nothing new... if anything Tesla should watch out for Ferrari...

... or Lambo

But on the density of the battery, my understanding is that A123 battery packs have relatively poor energy density but high power output... while Tesla's have higher density but lower power...

 

[Fabulist]

But on the density of the battery, my understanding is that A123 battery packs have relatively poor energy density but high power output... while Tesla's have higher density but lower power...

That's a fair point. These guys are trying to combine high density and high power output (1000+HP and 300+ Miles Rage), so they need some serious advances in the battery chemistry.

 

[SoCalGuy]

Looks like I might not be adding this to my garage. Saw this from a 2011 NY Times article

"He anticipates building 88 examples of the car and pricing them “a bit below the gasoline-powered competition from Pagani, Koenigsegg and Bugatti.” Rimac Automobili has firm preorders from “the Abu Dhabi royal family,” he added."

Pagani Zonda is around $1.5M
Bugatti Veyron is around $2M
Koenigsegg Agera is $1.6M

So I'd guess he's thinking he'll maybe charge $1.3-1.5M.

http://wheels.blogs.nytimes.com/2011/09/07/rimac-an-e-v-dark-horse-heads-to-frankfurt/[hr]
A really good look at the interior which is very well done (Fisker: check out that Infotainment unit!)

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=v_e2MaUiMno&feature=player_embedded[/video]

 

[AnOutsider]

Yeah this concept sounds awesome, but at that price range... Meh. Good job on the performance range (if they can reach them) and design however. I'll be keeping my eye on this guy

 

[SoCalGuy]

I can't help but think... if this guy can do it while scraping together a few bucks here and there to make a concept car, just think what kind of cars we could have gotten had Uncle Sam diverted some of the $60B used to bail out Detroit to these startups.

The EV platform is cool for so many reasons. First, the environmental benefits are obvious. Secondly, it affords so many more design possibilities given the packaging of the motors and battery packs. I still remember GM's HyWire concept from 10 years ago wherein they envisioned two kinds of car companies - the drivetrain makers that would build and engineer the 'skateboard' chasis and the coachbuilders... that would design the external 'snap on' bodies of the cars. You can envision the day when you go to a dealer (or a website) and you say, select the Tesla 2.0 drivetrain with a Pininfarina, Ferrari, or Fisker body made of carbon fiber. Think about it - a handful of drivetrain/chasis makers with a dozen or so choices (power, range, packaging) and dozens if not HUNDREDS of body manufacturers...like cases for your cellphones. But I digress...

Tesla has really made huge techno advances with respect to the powertrain technology... the battery packaging, the integration of the motor, gearbox and inverter into a tiny tight package, etc. I think next areas of focus are on battery tech obviously as well as microcylinder range extenders that are way smaller than the current ICE we see on the market and are designed from the groundup for the purpose of generating electricity. That's the future.
[hr]
Check out how the doors open at 1:00. Pretty cool
[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6ycmDcOTtHQ[/video]

 

[kabalah70]

I'll believe it when I see it. Too many people trying to capture a quick buck on the hype of electric. That being said, best of luck to them, I would love to see it on the road.

 

[kwsmith007]

Croatia
23 years old
Double the projected Battery performance of anything
1000+ Horsepower
2,800 Ft/lbs Torque
8 TV cameras

Absolute Total BS Vaporware.
I will give them credit for a killer mock-up.

 

[Fabulist]

Croatia
23 years old
Double the projected Battery performance of anything
1000+ Horsepower
2,800 Ft/lbs Torque
8 TV cameras

Absolute Total BS Vaporware.
I will give them credit for a killer mock-up.

I agree that the chances of this car ever seeing full production are pretty minuscule, but let's not forget that 5 short years ago, Henrik Fisker did not have much more than a sketch, and we know how that story is going. True, this guy has not run major divisions of major car companies for the last 20+ years, but having been steeped in the Silicon Valley culture that rewards good new ideas and tenacity, I can not write this guy off completely, just 98%. On the other hand, the odds of this turning into a major Ponzi scheme are probably better than even.

 

[Karma 2012]

The lines on this car closely resemble the Karma if you watch the video closely. It is a nice looking car. Only time will tell.

 

[WreckedKarma]

By my math, they plan to have a storage density of 92KWH/500Kg = 0.184 KWH/Kg. Compared to Fisker's 20KWH/266Kg = 0.075 KWH/Kg, they have ways to go.

I like the idea of one motor per wheel.

Current standards on LiFePO4 from A123 Systems which manufactures the highest quality LiFePO4 batteries.

A 100 kWh LiFePo4 battery, which is currently a safe and cost effective technology, but weights about one ton. (2000lbs)

 

[SoCalGuy]

Pricing was just released: $980K! What a bargain compared to the Veyron!

1080hp, 373 mile all electric range, 0-60 in 2.6s... sounds amazing ... if it happens.

http://www.egmcartech.com/2012/04/30/rimac-concept_one-to-enter-production-electric-supercar-will-cost-980000/

 

[SoCalGuy]

New video footage of the car in action... wish Fisker had something like this early on!

[video=youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NaJUZIdDiFw[/video]

 

[Weird Fishes]

If he is to be believed, how ironic is it that members of the Abu Dhabi royal family (who I can only assume derive their wealth from oil) have placed orders for this car?

 

[Fabulist]

If he is to be believed, how ironic is it that members of the Abu Dhabi royal family (who I can only assume derive their wealth from oil) have placed orders for this car?

Not to worry. In order to achive the ludicrous range and performance claims for this car, they will have to drive it while towing a large Diesel powered generator behind it as a trailer.

There is very little doubt in my mind that this will turn into a multi-million dollar Ponzi scheme in very short order.

 

[doug]

I would't be so sure. Mate has done some really impressive things with EVs.

 

[doug]

Here's an update from Mate Rimac with lots of cool pics:
http://www.teslamotorsclub.com/showthread.php/6047-Rimac-Automobili?p=141607&viewfull=1#post141607