Rimac Understands The Case For SUVs, Will Stick To Electric Supercars Nonetheless

Rimac may be one of the industry’s few pioneers in the electric supercar game, but it’s not planning to expand to new, more lucrative segments anytime soon.

Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of the Croatian EV company, has a plan for the future, but it doesn’t include a performance SUV, despite their popularity. “We ourselves? No. We will not do a performance SUV. For sure,” he told Top Gear.

That doesn’t mean that Rimac doesn’t understand why other automakers are rushing to join the SUV party. “As a business decision though, I understand. At the end of the day, you can please enthusiasts, or have a business that survives. What do you choose? You choose to survive.”

Rimac then adds that a performance SUV is essentially as relevant as a sports car. “Who needs either, really? Neither one of those is a sensible choice.”

“I guess it’s just a response to the market,” he added. “You can’t ignore what the market wants. But, performance cars are not going away. You can still buy a Lotus Exige today. How many people are buying the Lotus Exige?” A shake of the head. “If people are complaining about performance SUVs, go ahead and buy a Lotus Exige. Put your money where your mouth is. The choice is still there.”

Both Porsche and Hyundai have acquired small stakes in Rimac, which means that the EV brand is currently helping them build “really exciting electric cars” while focusing its own resources on the most exotic stuff. “Their cars are quite different from what we’re doing, but in terms of the next models from us, they will be two-seater supercars. There will be some innovation in them for sure – we have some ideas on how to push them forward, especially in terms of aerodynamics.”

“I want to make lighter cars,” Rimac said.“But I don’t want to make SUVs or stuff like that.”