Rimac is helping to produce two secret BMWs
The CEO of Bugatti Rimac revealed that they are developing two models in partnership with BMW, but few details are available yet.
Rimac Technology, known for developing high-performance electric solutions, is not solely focused on vehicle production. In its “free time,” the owner of Bugatti supplies electric powertrain systems to some of the industry’s leading automakers.
A recent example is the new BMW i7. This German flagship is the first model in the brand’s lineup to feature a high-voltage system developed jointly with Rimac, and it seems this partnership will not stop at the i7.
In remarks to Auto News, Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac, confirmed that “there are two more systems under development, but I cannot reveal any further details at this time.”
In addition to BMW, Porsche and Ceer—a young Saudi electric car brand—also rely on Rimac Technology to produce key components for electrifying their models.
The Porsche 911 GTS T-Hybrid features a 1.9 kWh, 400 V battery manufactured by Rimac. Ceer, on the other hand, turns to this Croatian supplier to develop its fully integrated electric propulsion systems. “There are a few more customers we cannot reveal yet,” he added.
It took years, but the investment paid off
According to the official, when BMW Group executives visited Rimac Technology’s future facilities in 2021, they received an ambitious promise from Mate Rimac: to build a production line dedicated to BMW there, regardless of whether the German brand signed a contract or not.
The investment and commitment paid off. After more than three years of work, the relationship between the two manufacturers improved, and today Rimac Technology produces 48,000 battery systems per year for the BMW i7 at that production facility. This proves that European manufacturers are capable of competing with Chinese producers.
Approximately 70% of this facility’s capacity is dedicated to producing battery systems for various automobile manufacturers. BMW’s program occupies 15,000 m2 of the area in a facility with a total area of 90,000 m2.
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Rimac is helping to produce two secret BMW models
Looking to the future
In recent months, a consortium of investors acquired Porsche’s 21% stake in Rimac Group and its 45% stake in Bugatti Rimac. According to Mate Rimac, “I wanted to be able to make decisions and invest in the long term without having to explain everything to 50 people.” Now, according to the executive, “I can sit down with my management team, make a decision, and move forward.”
But after turning Rimac Technology into a top-tier supplier, Mate Rimac faces another question: to what extent does he intend to continue expanding the company’s presence in the automotive industry?
The company has specialized in developing batteries, electric propulsion systems, electronic components, and software, but the executive does not plan to expand much further. “The portfolio we have is the one we want to have,” he said.
“At the moment, we are (…) focusing more on opportunities outside the automotive industry. That’s because the automotive industry isn’t currently the best client.”
Mate Rimac, CEO of Bugatti Rimac