Rimac has taken the wraps off a new teaser for its “next generation hypercar,” and it looks incredible. The Croatia-based electric supercar maker, which once claimed the title as creator of the world’s fastest-accelerating electric vehicle, released a teaser video Wednesday of its latest model. With impressive stylings and a strong resumé to ack it up, it could give the new Tesla Roadster a run for its money.
“Why play by the rules, when you can change the game,” Rimac cryptically teased on its Twitter page Wednesday. The teaser ends with a promise of an unveiling at the Geneva Auto Show in Switzerland on March 6.
The vehicle will find itself entering a competitive marketplace. When Elon Musk unveiled the second-generation Roadster at a November 2017 event, he promised a dream list of specs for when the car hits the road in 2020. Acceleration times of 0-60 mph in a record-breaking 1.9 seconds, top speed of 250 mph, and a 200 kWh battery providing 620 miles of range all point to a stunning performer, with an expected price tag of $200,000.
If anyone can challenge the new Roadster, it’s Rimac. The Concept One, released in 2013, briefly held the title of world’s fastest-accelerating electric car with 0-60 mph in 2.5 seconds, a title snatched away by the Tesla Model S P100D. With a top speed of 220 mph and 1,224 horsepower at work, the Concept One was a serious performer. It also had an extraordinary $1 million price tag.
Watch the Concept One obliterate a Bugatti Veyron in a drag race:
Since then, Rimac has started partnering with companies like Koenigsegg and Aston Martin to bring its technology to other car makers. It’s also struck a $36 million deal with Camel Group, claimed to be Asia’s largest battery maker.
As details are still thin on the ground for Rimac’s next vehicle, it’s hard to say for sure whether the automaker will be able to edge out the Roadster. If the company’s track record is anything to go by, though, Musk may be forced to rethink some of the superlatives around the Roadster’s marketing.
