Rimac is developing two more vehicles jointly with BMW. This was confirmed by the company's founder and CEO, Mate Rimac, in an interview with Auto News,. The names, segment and presentation timelines for the new models have not yet been announced. The first vehicle already using jointly developed technology is the new electric BMW i7. The battery system combines BMW's sixth-generation eDrive 4695 cylindrical lithium-ion cells with a fifth-generation modular architecture. BMW says the solution is designed to increase range and shorten charging times.
The battery system for the i7 is manufactured at Rimac's campus near Zagreb. According to Rimac, he showed BMW executives the site for the future production line when construction was still in its early stages. At that time, the German company did not yet have a contract with Rimac.
“It doesn't matter. I'm building it for you,” Mate Rimac told BMW representatives.
He explained that to win the order, Rimac had to be competitive in terms of both technology and price. “BMW is a premium brand. To supply it, you have to be the best technically and commercially,” Rimac said.
The Croatian company already supplies electric systems and components to various manufacturers. Vehicles featuring Rimac technology include the Koenigsegg Regera, Aston Martin Valkyrie and Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid. The company is also working on electric vehicles for the Saudi brand Ceer.
The cooperation with BMW is developing against the backdrop of a change in Rimac's ownership. On September 9 this year, Porsche completed the sale of its stake in Rimac Group and Bugatti Rimac to a consortium led by HOF Capital. Porsche sold 20.6% of Rimac Group and 45% of the Bugatti Rimac joint venture for approximately €1 billion. Following the deal, Mate Rimac said the company could make decisions more quickly. According to him, a process that had previously taken around six months because of approvals from governing bodies could now be completed significantly faster.