Collaborative Journey: Rimac and BMW Embrace the Electric Future

Mate Rimac, the founder and CEO of Rimac Technology, frequently reminisces about his cherished old E30.

He's addressing press conferences at The Quail or reflecting in his biography, the Croatian trailblazer attributes much of his current success to his personally converted, all-electric 1984 BMW 3-series. Now, at 36 years old, Rimac is presented with an opportunity to pay homage to the automotive brand that ignited his journey. In a recent announcement, Rimac Technology and the BMW Group unveiled a new, extensive joint venture.

Rimac will play a pivotal role in BMW's future battery development initiatives, marking Rimac's most ambitious project to date. Specifically, BMW will leverage Rimac's battery development and production facilities located in Zagreb, Croatia, to enhance the production volume of advanced battery systems.

To facilitate this heightened production capacity, Rimac and BMW will collaborate on the implementation of automated production lines for batteries, allocating a substantial portion of the nearly 50-acre property for BMW's manufacturing processes.

"This partnership signifies a significant milestone in Rimac Technology's evolution, transitioning from humble origins to forging a substantial long-term alliance with one of the automotive industry's premier brands," remarked Rimac. "It underscores Rimac Technology's shift from being a niche high-performance supplier to possessing the capability for high-volume production."

BMW is keen on amplifying its electrification capabilities, coinciding with the launch of an extensive range of electric sedans and SUVs.

Presently, BMW conducts the majority of its EV production at its Dingolfing facility, sharing production lines with internal-combustion vehicles.

BMW recently announced plans to revamp its Munich headquarters for exclusive all-electric production by 2027. Additionally, BMW is gearing up for a forthcoming generation of electric models, known as the Vision Neue Klasse.

On a separate note, Rimac's venture into electrification yielded the groundbreaking Rimac Nevera electric hypercar. Boasting a remarkable seven-minute Nürburgring lap time, the Nevera represents a paradigm shift in performance benchmarks. Collaborating with BMW, this venture is poised to prioritize performance enhancements, whether in terms of power output or range capabilities.