BMW has announced a collaboration with Croatia's electric supercar maker Rimac. Mate Rimac's eponymous company is best known for its Nevera electric hypercar and for taking on the running of Bugatti on behalf of Volkswagen.
Innovative solutions
Now, Rimac will work with BMW on what the two companies say are: "selected battery-electric vehicles" and will develop "innovative solutions in the field of high-voltage battery technology."
BMW says that the tie-up with Rimac will help to build on its current position as one of the leading lights in electric car development and that the collaboration will be a key enabler of plans to hit 50 per cent electric sales before 2030.
Advanced technology
Rimac will become what's known as a 'Tier One' supplier to BMW, which means it will deliver components - including high-voltage battery packs, e-axles, as well as electronics and software solutions - which will go directly into BMW's forthcoming new electric models. BMW says that Rimac's tech is: "designed, engineered and produced in-house to offer advanced technology with a high degree of customisation."
It's tempting to assume that Rimac will be developing ultra-high performance electric motors and batteries for BMW's first generation of all-electric M models - and it probably will - but the Croatian company's expertise goes beyond just hypercars and silly 0-100km/h times; it has a proven track record in developing more efficient systems for electric cars, which could help to improve things such as range and charging speeds - more mundane, perhaps, but arguably far more important.
Details still secret
For now, the exact details of the deal are being kept under wraps, with both BMW and Rimac saying: "The two partners will release more details about what form the strategic tie-up will take, as well as its scope and content, at a later stage."
BMW has said, though, that its sixth-generation electric car tech - due to make a debut late next year in the production version of the Vision Neue Klasse X SUV - has nothing to do with Rimac, and is still aiming to deliver "another significant leap forward in all customer-relevant attributes, such as range and charging time." The expected benefits are set to include a 30 per cent increase in range compared to current designs, and faster charging too.