275 km/h in reverse. A new supercar is on the way, and it’s a slap in the face to Ferrari.

Electric Supercar Rimac Nevera
Recently Breaks Reverse Speed Record
Faster Than Most Cars Going Forward

Since their inception, humans have longed for speed.
After the invention of the automobile, the quest to create the fastest carhas never ceased, and there have been people who have gained fame for their unfortunate accidents while challenging new records. Driving a fast car was also a challenge, so establishing the record for the world’s fastest car is considered a drama in itself.

However, there is a unique company that attempts to break records in various sectors beyond just top speed.
It’s none other than Croatian electric car manufacturer ‘Rimac Automobili(Rimac Automobili, hereinafter referred to as Rimac). Rimac holds various world records not only in the electric car sector but also across all mass-produced cars, and it is gaining attention for setting a unique new record.

Recorded 171.2 mph in Reverse
Why is High-Speed Reverse Difficult?

On the 7th (local time), Rimac announced that its supercar Nevera reached a speed of 171.2 mph in reverse at the Papenburg Automotive Testing Facility in Germany. As a result, the Rimac Nevera was recorded in the Guinness Book as the fastest car in reverse. The previous record was 102.5 mph set by the Caterham 7 Fireblade in 2001.

Most cars have electronically limited reverse speeds.
This is because the vehicle becomes very unstable when speed is increased in reverse, as the front wheels are responsible for steering. Even for vehicles without a reverse speed limiter, it’s difficult to go fast in reverse due to the limitations of the gear ratio.

Challenge Possible Due to Being an Electric Car
It Was an Anticipated Result

Rimac said that it was able to set a new record thanks to the unique drivetrain structure of the Nevera. Electric cars deliver power through an electric motor fixed in first gear, so theoretically, the maximum forward and reverse speeds are the same. In particular, the Nevera is equipped with four electric motors, and power is transmitted through a pair of gearboxes located at each of the front and rear wheels.

Matija Renić, the chief engineer of Rimac Nevera, explained, “We thought that this car would become the fastest car in the world in reverse when we were developing the Nevera, and it actually happened.” He added, “It is not suitable for reverse in all aspects, such as aerodynamics, cooling, and driving stability, but we talked about how fun it would be if we tried it once.” It is rumored that they ran a simulation in-house and found that theoretically, they could exceed 149.8 mph.

Also Set 23 Records in One Day
Top Speed in Forward is also No.1 Among Electric Cars

Goran Drndak, Rimac’s test driver, said, “It took some time to get used to driving in reverse, but I was able to adapt soon.” He added, “I moved the steering wheel gently to prevent the balance of the car from collapsing, and I carefully watched the braking point while driving.”

Meanwhile, the Rimac Nevera established 23 world records in acceleration and deceleration sectors simultaneously last May. This included the time to reach 248.5 mph from a standstill, the time to reach each 62.1 mph segment, and the time it took to come to a complete stop from each speed. Its top forward speed was recorded at 257.8 mph, making it the fastest mass-produced electric car currently in existence.