Skip to main content
Sister Publication Links
  • Automotive News
  • Automobilwoche
  • Automotive News Canada
  • Automotive News China
Subscribe
  • Subscribe
  • Newsletters
  • Login
  • HOME
    • Latest news
    • Automakers
    • Suppliers
    • New Product
    • Environment/Emissions
    • Sales By Market
    • On The Move
    • Auto Shows
    • Munich Auto Show
    • Geneva Auto Show
    • Paris Auto Show
    • Beijing Auto Show
    • Shanghai Auto Show
  • Features
    • Long Read
    • Interview of the Month
    • Focus on Electrification
    • Focus on Technology
    • Segment Analysis
    • Cars & Concepts
    • Supplier Spotlight
    • Europe By The Numbers
  • Opinion
    • Blogs
    • Commentary
    • Guest columnists
  • Photos
    • Photo Galleries
    • Geneva Photo Gallery
    • Beijing Photo Gallery
    • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
    • Paris Photo Gallery
    • Shanghai Photo Gallery
  • Podcasts
  • Car Cutaways
  • EVENTS
    • ANE Congress
    • ANE Rising Stars
    • ANE Eurostars
  • More
    • Publishing Partners
    • Social Media
    • Contact Us
    • Media Kit
    • About Us
    • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
    • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
    • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
    • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
    • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
    • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
    • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
    • Toyota Europe
    • UFI Filters
    • Facebook
    • Instagram
    • LinkedIn
    • Twitter
MENU
Breadcrumb
  1. Home
  2. Focus on Electrification
July 14, 2022 05:05 AM

Rimac aims to follow Tesla with a move to 46 mm cylindrical battery cells

The switch mirrors that of Tesla, which has said it wants to move to larger cells to increase energy density.

Nick Gibbs
  • Tweet
  • Share
  • Share
  • Email
  • More
    Print
    Rimac Nevera doors.jpg
    RIMAC

    Rimac has launched its own EV hypercar, the Nevera.

    Electric-car maker and EV supplier Rimac is developing a battery module platform based around 46 mm (1.8 inch) diameter cylindrical cells.

    The switch to 46 mm cylindrical cells mirrors that of Tesla, which has said it wants to move to larger 4680 cells, which are 46 mm in diameter and 80 mm tall. The advantage of the larger size is to increase energy density, Tesla has said.

    Rimac is aiming to ramp up its target of supplying 40,000 battery packs in 2023 and 200,000 by 2028, said Wasim Sarwar Dilov, Rimac Technology’s head of research and advanced engineering.

    The Croatian company is currently talking to three battery manufacturers to supply cells for the new pack module, Dilov told Automotive News Europe on the sidelines of the recent MOVE 22 mobility event in London.

    “The new module platform forms the basis of most of our future programs,” Dilov said.

    Related Article
    Croatian supercar maker Rimac raises $537M to build EVs, Porsches, Bugattis
    Rimac has 'huge ambitions' for stand-alone components unit

    Rimac Group has "huge ambitions" for its newly created stand-alone components arm, the company's founder and CEO, Mate Rimac, told Automotive News Europe in January.

    Rimac has 12 projects with different automakers currently in progress, the company says. Rimac is 24 percent owned by Porsche and 12 percent by Hyundai Motor, but the company has contracts to supply automakers outside its stakeholders.

    “Most of our products are not for investors,” Dilov said, without being specific.

    Rimac has disclosed agreements to supply battery packs to Aston Martin for the Valkyrie hybrid hypercar as well as to Swedish supercar maker Koenigsegg.

    Packs are shipped direct to car assembly lines as with traditional Tier 1 suppliers.

    Rimac denied an Automotive News Europe report in May that said Hyundai was dialing back its relationship with Rimac following the completion of work on an upcoming Hyundai electric sports car after Rimac’s relationship with Porsche deepened.

    FOCUS ON ELECTRIFICATION NEWSLETTER: A monthly wrap-up of the latest electric vehicle news, including interviews and global EV sales data, delivered to your inbox.
    Energy density

    Tesla CEO Elon Musk said in January the company was “building 4680 structural packs every day” at its Texas facility.

    Rimac’s 46 mm cells will be varied heights, Dilov said.

    The move to secure longer-term agreements with cell makers comes with Rimac’s growth ambitions.

    “Previously we just tried to find the best cells we could. If you are trying to get cells for a few hundred cars you can do that,” Dilov said. “Now as we significantly ramp up to volumes of hundreds of thousands of units, we are in a different era.”

    Slimming down

    Rimac is working on structural battery packs that become part of the car’s body rather than the ‘box within a box’ that define most battery packs currently, Dilov said.

    The company is aiming to slim down the pack mass not attributable to cells, what it calls the ‘cell-to-pack conversion efficiency.’ Rimac aims to get this figure to 75 percent cells per pack for a module scheduled to start production in 2025.

    For reference, Rimac says the Porsche Taycan battery pack is 63 percent cells, the Tesla Model 3 64 percent cells and the Rimac Nevera hypercar 67 percent. “The higher we can make this number the less parasitic mass we have,” Dilov said.

    Rimac’s key selling point however remains its software, Dilov argued during a presentation at the MOVE event. “Our hardware is great, but so is lots of hardware. With our software however we can extract more performance from any given cell than our competitors,” he said.

    RECOMMENDED FOR YOU
    Renault cedes power at Nissan for uncertain benefits
    Recommended for You
    Renault Nissan logos 2023
    Renault cedes power at Nissan for uncertain benefits
    BYD Han sedan
    BYD expects 2022 profit surge as sales jump
    Arrival has built test models and is due to launch production in 2022.r.
    EV startup Arrival slashes workforce; names new CEO
    Capgemini Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    Sponsored Content: Capgemini Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
    Sign up for free newsletters
    EMAIL ADDRESS

    Please enter a valid email address.

    Please enter your email address.

    Please verify captcha.

    Please select at least one newsletter to subscribe.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    Get Free Newsletters

    Sign up and get the best of Automotive News Europe delivered straight to your email inbox, free of charge. Choose your news – we will deliver.

    You can unsubscribe at any time through links in these emails. For more information, see our Privacy Policy.

    SUBSCRIBE TODAY

    Get 24/7 access to in-depth, authoritative coverage of the auto industry from a global team of reporters and editors covering the news that’s vital to your business.

    SUBSCRIBE NOW
    Connect with Us
    • Twitter
    • Facebook
    • LinkedIn
    • Instagram

    Founded in 1996, Automotive News Europe is the preferred information source for decision-makers and opinion leaders operating in Europe.

    Contact Us

    1155 Gratiot Avenue
    Detroit MI  48207-2997
    Tel: +1 877-812-1584

    Email Us

    ISSN 2643-6590 (print)
    ISSN 2643-6604 (online)

     

    Resources
    • About us
    • Contact Us
    • Advertise with us
    • Advertise with Us
    • Ad Choices Ad Choices
    • Sitemap
    Awards
    • Rising Stars
    • Eurostars
    • Leading Women
    Legal
    • Terms and Conditions
    • Privacy Policy
    • Privacy Request
    Automotive News Europe
    Copyright © 1996-2023. Crain Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
    • HOME
      • Latest news
      • Automakers
      • Suppliers
      • New Product
      • Environment/Emissions
      • Sales By Market
      • On The Move
      • Auto Shows
        • Munich Auto Show
        • Geneva Auto Show
        • Paris Auto Show
        • Beijing Auto Show
        • Shanghai Auto Show
    • Features
      • Long Read
      • Interview of the Month
      • Focus on Electrification
      • Focus on Technology
      • Segment Analysis
      • Cars & Concepts
      • Supplier Spotlight
      • Europe By The Numbers
    • Opinion
      • Blogs
      • Commentary
      • Guest columnists
    • Photos
      • Photo Galleries
      • Geneva Photo Gallery
      • Beijing Photo Gallery
      • Frankfurt Photo Gallery
      • Paris Photo Gallery
      • Shanghai Photo Gallery
    • Podcasts
    • Car Cutaways
    • EVENTS
      • ANE Congress
      • ANE Rising Stars
      • ANE Eurostars
    • More
      • Publishing Partners
        • Capgemini: Invent Head on automotive takeaways from CES 2023
        • Capgemini: Securing the industry's future through a radical rethink
        • Capgemini: Succeeding with the automated driving journey through AI
        • Capgemini: The circular economy is spurring new thinking on EV batteries
        • Capgemini: Toyota and Capgemini leaders on how OEMs can handle industry changes and succeed
        • HEXAGON: Plugging into data is the only way to make winning EVs
        • TUV Rheinland: Ideas, services and certifications for smart mobility
        • TUV Rheinland: Testing of automated and autonomous vehicles on test tracks
        • Toyota Europe
        • UFI Filters
      • Social Media
        • Facebook
        • Instagram
        • LinkedIn
        • Twitter
      • Contact Us
      • Media Kit
      • About Us