Rimac to develop its own solid-state battery for the next generation of electric cars
Rimac Technology, the engineering company spun out of the Croatian hypercar maker Rimac in 2022, is promising to revolutionize EVs with major leaps in solid-state batteries and high-performance powertrains.
Chief Operating Officer Nurdin Pitarevic, the second-in-command to Mate Rimac, explained in an interview how the company targets the biggest complaints electric cars still face: maximizing driving range, improving fire safety, and slashing the time it takes to charge.
Rimac Technology is well into developing next-generation solid-state batteries (SSBs) alongside cell producer ProLogium and composite materials specialists at Mitsubishi. Pitarevic expects testing to begin very soon with the first application of this new tech in a new Bugatti model scheduled for 2030. That date feels far off, but the technology promises a big payoff for those willing to wait. The company projects the cost of these new SSBs will match today’s standard cell types by 2035.
The specifications for the solid-state prototype pack are a major improvement over existing equipment. The unit boasts a capacity of 100 kWh and is claimed to be between 20 percent and 30 percent more energy dense than a conventional battery of the same dimensions. Density is key, as it means more power can fit into the same space. The pack weighs approximately 30 kg less, largely because of the ultrastiff, yet lightweight, composite housing supplied by Mitsubishi.
These new battery packs promise a massive increase in safety and can accept a charge much more quickly. Rimac Technology, however, has no interest in building these SSBs for cheap, mass-market electric cars. Pitarevic made clear the company likes the premium, niche market. They would only consider volume production if a larger manufacturer wanted to license the technology for their own mass-market EVs.
Battery tech aside, Rimac Technology is also focused on the muscle of an EV: the e-axle. This unit cleverly combines the electric drive motor, gearbox, and control electronics into light, compact packages that can fit into various vehicle layouts - front-wheel drive, rear-wheel drive, or all-wheel drive. These units are suitable for both hybrid vehicles and pure EVs, and can deliver anywhere from 149 kW to 350 kW (200 bhp to 470 bhp).
The customer list for these components already includes global heavyweights such as BMW and Porsche, along with the Saudi Arabian EV start-up CEER, and many other companies that remain unnamed for now.
The rapid pace of progress in e-axle design shows just how fast Rimac is moving. Pitarevic provided two key examples that highlight the reduction in size and weight. For a powerful new SUV being built for CEER, Rimac is constructing an e-axle assembly with power and torque comparable to the rear-drive motor found in the record-breaking, 1,288 bhp Nevera.
Despite the comparable power, the new unit for CEER weighs a slender 291 lb, a huge saving over the Nevera's older 437 lb motor. For much smaller, more performance-focused electric cars, like a hot hatch or coupé, they designed a different, suitcase-sized pack that delivers 373 kW (500 bhp) and weighs a shockingly low 106 lb.
To manage this kind of rapid innovation and rising demand, Rimac is preparing a new production campus in Zagreb, Croatia. The £256 million investment will result in 95,000 m² of production space, allowing the company to crank out tens of thousands of these advanced tech components every month.
Pitarevic, a Bosnian-born, German-educated executive who was managing 10,000 people across 22 factories before he was drawn to Rimac, credits the company’s unique culture for its competitive edge. He found an environment where decision-making is lightning-fast, bypassing the slowness of emails.
Innovation is aggressively encouraged by Mate Rimac, the CEO. Most importantly, the company has no “old tech” to restructure, meaning they always start with the best and most modern systems. Throw in the fact that Croatia, which has a well-educated workforce, is still 20 percent to 30 percent lower on cost than most other European countries, and you see why a relatively young company can compete successfully with giants that have been in business for 60 or 70 years.
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