LoginBugatti’s Mystery Model May Rely On A Solid State Battery You’ve Never Heard Of
- The solid-state cell offers 20 to 30 percent more density.
- Bugatti’s next model may debut with the new battery tech.
- Rimac also supplies batteries and e-axles to other brands.
Compared to some of the battery juggernauts in China and South Korea, Rimac Technology is still a relatively small player. But that hasn’t stopped it from pursuing next-generation EV tech and among its most ambitious efforts is a solid-state battery project that could power a future Bugatti model due within the next five years.
Read: Rimac Wants To Buy Porsche Out Of Bugatti
Rimac Technology became a standalone engineering firm in 2022, spun off from the Croatian carmaker to focus on supplying electric components to third-party manufacturers.
Behind the Battery Development
According to chief operating officer Nurdin Pitarevic, the company is now working with composite material specialists from Mitsubishi and solid-state cell developer ProLogium to bring its new battery to life.
The prototype battery in question is a 100 kWh pack that weighs 30 kg (66 lbs) less than a typical equivalent. Rimac says it delivers 20 to 30 percent more energy density than traditional batteries, with the long-term goal of reaching price parity with conventional NMC cells by 2035.
Speaking with Autocar, Pitarevic revealed that testing of the new batteries will start soon and hinted at them being used in a mid-volume production model from Bugatti in 2030.
Details about the new Bugatti model are few and far between, but it would likely be the company’s long-awaited car to sit alongside the Tourbillon, rather than a special version of that V16-powered monster.
Rimac’s e-Axles
It’s not just advanced batteries that Rimac Technology is developing. New e-axles that combine electric motors, gearboxes, and electronics into a single package are also in the works, being flexible enough to be used for front-, rear-, and all-wheel-drive models.
They can also be specced to deliver between 200 hp and 470 hp, making them suitable for a broad range of performance models. Porsche and BMW are among the automakers currently sourcing e-axles from Rimac.
A Saudi startup called Ceer, developed in partnership with Foxconn Technology Group, is also on board. Ceer’s upcoming SUV will feature a Rimac rear e-axle with output comparable to the 1,288 horsepower rear motor in the Rimac Nevera, yet the unit weighs only 132 kg (291 lbs), a full 66 kg (145 lbs) lighter than the Nevera’s setup.
Rimac is also working on a smaller e-axle, weighing just 48 kg (106 lbs), with a projected output of 500 horsepower.
