The Rimac Nevera already boasts an impressive tally of world records - 23, to be exact - so much so that Mate Rimac could probably wallpaper his office twice over with the certificates. So, you can forgive us for responding to the appearance of another 'Rimac record' email in our inbox with a bit of nonchalance, at least until we read the full title and realized how astounding this latest feat is.
Not content with setting numerous speed records for forward driving, Rimac decided to set one while heading in the opposite direction, achieving an incredible 171.34 mph (275.74 km/h) at the Automotive Testing Papenburg facility in Germany.
Many modern cars have their reverse speed electronically restricted because they can become incredibly unstable, with even the slightest touch of your wrist potentially sending you into the nearest hedge. However, even cars without speed limiters can't go fast in reverse due to the limitations of the reverse gear ratio. Being an electric vehicle with a single fixed gear ratio for both forward and reverse, the Nevera could theoretically go nearly as fast in either direction. "During development, it occurred to us that the Nevera would probably be the world's fastest car in reverse, but we kind of laughed it off," CEO Mate Rimac explained.
"The aerodynamics, cooling, and stability hadn't been engineered for traveling backward at high speeds, after all. But then, we started to talk about how fun it would be to give it a shot. Our simulations showed that we could achieve well over 150 mph (241 km/h), but we didn't have much of an idea how stable it would be - we were entering uncharted territory." Back in the 1960s and 1970s, DAF cars fitted with CVT transmissions could go almost as fast backward as forward, but nudging past 70 mph (113 km/h) is a bit different from pushing through 170 mph (274 km/h), which is what Rimac test driver Goran Drndak had to contend with in this record attempt. "On the run itself, it definitely took some getting used to. You're facing straight out backward, watching the scenery flash away from you faster and faster, feeling your neck pulled forward in almost the same sensation you would normally get under heavy braking," Drndak said after setting the record.
"You're moving the steering wheel so gently, careful not to upset the balance, watching for your course and your braking point out the rear-view mirror, all the while keeping an eye on the speed. Despite it being almost completely unnatural to the way the car was engineered, Nevera breezed through yet another record."
