Interview: Mate Rimac: To be fast you have to be independent

Question: How is it going in the new role with dual responsibility for Rimac and Bugatti? Mate Rimac: Good. It’s not just two companies. In addition to Bugatti and Rimac, there is also Rimac Technology, which is a larger company. So there is quite a lot to do. Bugatti and Rimac have grown together tremendously in a year and now function as one entity because we have used the advantages of both companies. Question: How did that work exactly? Rimac: We didn’t just replace the management, but identified the best employees at both companies and made them responsible for the entire company. For example, Achim Anscheidt is now design director for Bugatti and Rimac. We are well structured and new products are developed. Question: What about the finances? Rimac: Bugatti-Rimac is in a good financial position and for Rimac Technology we have collected 500 million euros in investments from Softbank, Lohman, Goldman Sachs Asset and Porsche, among others. I finally don’t have to worry about money anymore. Question: The threads still come together for you? Rimac: Yes, 34 employees currently report to me. That needs to change. Question: What is the biggest construction site? Rimac: It’s not a single thing. We want to do a lot. For example, we recently presented the ten-year plan to retailers. Question: We would have liked to have been there…. Rimac: (laughs). The next time. The response has been extremely positive, although I have encouraged people to voice criticism. Now we have to develop the new models and launch them at the right time. The implementation of the plan is the biggest challenge. Question: Can you give us details? Rimac: Just so much. Rimac will remain all-electric and the Bugattis will be hybrids for the next ten years. Question: What does Bugattis electrification look like? Rimac: We want usable range. The cars must have enough power to drive purely electrically and enough range for the city. So the plug-in hybrids will have a range of around 50 kilometers. Question: So there will be no all-electric Bugatti? Rimac: That’s not currently planned. Question: Is there a technological merger between Bugatti and Rimac? Rimac: Yes, but only to a limited extent. Because the concepts are different. The vehicles will be different, so technically not as closely related as a Lamborghini Huracán and the Audi R8. I want to keep Bugatti analog, also in terms of the interior. Bugatti also stands for craftsmanship. Rimac, on the other hand, is digital and innovative. An element like the driver’s coach, i.e. autonomous driving on the race track, does not suit Bugatti. Question: How do you implement this at Bugatti? Rimac: We are developing a completely new vehicle that will be more complex than the current models due to hybridization and will also have a new combustion engine. We also want to raise the value to a new level and still have the development costs under control. Question: That’s an ambitious plan… Rimac: We’re going to develop everything internally and not with suppliers. To do this, we need to set up the right capacities and structures, including the campus near Zagreb. We are also expanding production in Molsheim. This will enable us to develop cars with manageable costs in the future. Question: How can Porsche help? Rimac: Porsche is a shareholder that does not interfere in the operative business. To be fast you have to be independent. Question: Will Bugatti have several models? Rimac: We want to keep Bugatti very exclusive. With the Chiron, there are too many derivatives, all of which are very similar. Displaying the same model five times in a different design makes no sense, it also dilutes the original model. There will be different cars, i.e. a sports car and a Gran Turismo. Question: No SUV? Rimac: An SUV is not planned. I stand by Ettore Bugatti’s statement. If it’s comparable, it’s not a Bugatti. Every Bugatti must increase in value. Can you build an SUV that increases in value? Question: What will define the next Bugatti? Rimac: We’ve been developing the car for more than two years, before we took over Bugatti. I initiated the new combustion engine, even if Porsche wanted the new Bugatti to be fully electric, I was against it. Because I believe that our customers want an emotional combustion engine. You’ll be amazed at how emotional the drive will be, even if it’s not a W16 engine. I want the car to be timeless. This also applies to the interior. That means few or no screens, very interesting instruments and controls. Question: What role does Rimac Technology play in the new company structure? Rimac: Rimac Technology is a technology supplier. We develop and produce battery and drive systems for Porsche and other manufacturers. We are currently in the process of setting up a production facility in Zagreb that will allow us to mass-produce such systems. Question: What’s next for Rimac and the Nevera? Rimac: It was quite a challenge to finish the car without making any compromises. We’ve done it. Now the cars are built and delivered to the customers. Now we are concentrating on the next Bugatti. Question: So there will be no open version of Nevera? Rimac: Yes, but that will take a while.