MATE RIMAC'S LIFE AND PRIVATE CAR COLLECTION - PART 1

EV Channels Review

This episode of The Late Brake Show features an insightful conversation with Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of Automobili Rimac. The discussion delves into Rimac's early life, his unwavering passion for cars, and the genesis of his groundbreaking company. He recounts his childhood in war-torn Yugoslavia, his emigration to Germany, and how his fascination with automobiles led him to experiment with electric conversions, starting with a BMW E30. Rimac emphasizes that his motivation was never environmentalism but rather harnessing the potential of electric powertrains to create superior performance vehicles. He highlights the challenges and iterative process of developing early electric cars, including the "White Zombie" Datsun and his own E30 EV conversion. The conversation also touches upon the evolution of electric bikes, with Rimac showcasing his company's innovative and high-performance e-bikes, which he uses for daily commuting. A significant portion of the interview focuses on the development of the Rimac Nevera, emphasizing its status as the first true electric hypercar and how Tesla's early work on bespoke EV platforms set a benchmark that many current manufacturers still fail to meet. Rimac expresses his ambition to complete "Chapter One" of his company's story, marked by the establishment of their new campus and consistent production of hypercars and powertrain systems for major OEMs like Porsche and Hyundai. He admits to being self-critical of the company's current state, despite its significant achievements.