One of the most talked about electric vehicle brands in the world has announced that it is opening a research and development facility in the UK.
Croatian company Rimac, which has grabbed plenty of headlines recently with its proposed 258mph battery-powered supercar, has announced that it will bring 30 new jobs to its new facility, which is handily placed next door to Jaguar’s factory on Warwick’s Enterprise Park.
Rimac Automobili are widely touted as a long-term challenger to Tesla in the battle to be the most fashionable electric vehicle specialists. The company are expected to partner with Porsche to buy Bugatti, with the aim of turning the French hypercar brand into an EV only.
Ricac’s new R&D facility places the company into the heart of the UK’s motor manufacturing region, within easy distance of Bentley and Aston Martin, and closely connected to Warwick University.
It is believed that the Rimac deal was sealed with the help of the UK government, after a visit to Croatia from Minister of State for Trade Policy, Greg Hands.
“While Croatia will always be our home, we have decided to take the opportunity to gather a small team in the UK, where the automotive industry has a long history and great expertise,” said Mate Rimac, founder and CEO.
“We are of the strong opinion that British engineers are world-class in the field of electrification and future of mobility. While we are starting with a small office, we might expand significantly in the years to come, working on Rimac’s future projects, while closely collaborating with our team of engineers, designers and technicians back in Croatia.”
Rimac are expected to launch their new C-Two vehicle to the UK market later in the year, it is rumoured that the vehicle, which will cost £2m, can reach 0-60mph in just 1.72 seconds.