Mate Rimac takes delivery of his own Nevera all-electric hypercar

Mate Rimac, who started Rimac Automobili in 2009 with the dream of creating an all-electric hypercar, has now taken delivery of his own Nevera. This car embodies his vision of ultimate performance and represents a significant milestone 15 years in the making.

As the man who knows every detail of the Nevera, from nuts and bolts to the length of wires and lines of code, Mate had a clear concept for personalizing his car. With the vast customization options available at Rimac Automobili, this vision could be realized almost perfectly. Almost all components of the Nevera are produced in-house in Croatia, from intricate metal parts in the machine shop to flawless finishes in the paint shop, and bespoke designs crafted by the design team.

The in-house Color and Trim team proposed several bespoke liveries and dual-tone finishes, but Mate chose to stay true to his original vision—a full carbon body tinted in red with bespoke red anodized Nevera badging and accents in natural bare carbon fibre. He wanted to showcase the car’s natural materials in all their beauty.

The Level 3 Carbon finish of Mate’s Nevera is a completely bespoke creation. The carbon fibres flow in a specific direction across the body panels, matching the car’s geometry. This flow continues across multiple surfaces and panels, creating an unbroken carbon fibre pattern, millimetre perfect in its placement. The panels must be produced and cut precisely to achieve this finish, and the clear-coating process is meticulous. Filling any subtle holes in the material with clearcoat can lead to cracking, requiring the panel to be scrapped and the process restarted.

Croatian flags are hand-painted on the side mirrors, and a custom-designed lightning motif is hidden under the rear spoiler, paying homage to the Mediterranean storms off the coast of Croatia that inspired the Nevera’s name. Mate is extremely proud of the Rimac Group’s Croatian roots, having refused to relocate the business during its early, challenging years despite offers of investment.

Inside the Nevera, bespoke motifs can be hand-stitched into various components such as armrests, headrests, and knee cushions. Special messages can be laser-etched into a metal plate mounted on the bulkhead, and a wide range of colours and materials are available for customization. The interior can feature full Napa leather, a mix of Alcantara and leather, or even a full Alcantara interior, highlighted by vibrant stitching. Metal surfaces in the cabin, such as door handles, steering wheel buttons, and infotainment controls, can be anodized in various colours, a level of customization no other manufacturer offers, thanks to in-house testing of this complex process.

“It’s kind of a crazy experience to be a customer of your own company, and I probably wasn’t the easiest customer either. Just like with all our customers—there was a process of co-creation; sharing ideas, evolving them and then finally perfecting them until you have a Nevera that stands alone and speaks to you personally. The result not only looks great but it tells an important story for me,” said Mate Rimac, Founder and CEO of Rimac Group.

For his own car, Mate chose an asymmetric trim, predominantly black on one side and red on the other. He also added personal touches, including embroidered motifs of Solinjanka, an interpretation of a sculpture in Zagreb’s Archaeological Museum.