When I heard that Rimac Technology was hosting its annual ‘Powering Tomorrow: Speed Dating Event’ for students interested in becoming future employees, I applied without hesitation.
The April event was held at Rimac Technology’s Jankomir facility in Zagreb, Croatia, which used to be a Pevec store (like Home Depot), and is where the initial batch of Neveras and C_Two prototypes were produced, evaluated, and crash-tested. Today, cars are produced at Rimac Automobili’s new facility in Kerestinec, right next to a medieval castle. The Jankomir facility is still in operation, but its focus is now on battery and powertrain production, software engineering, and testing.
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Around 30-odd people showed up for the event. We were first taken to the Bean Bag Room and given a complimentary gift bag containing a magazine about the company’s progress and achievements from 2025, along with a die-cast Rimac Nevera – a fine addition to my collection. The bag also included a manifesto from Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of the Rimac Group, which oversees Bugatti Rimac, a joint venture between Bugatti Automobiles and Rimac Automobili.
We heard presentations from three department managers representing Vehicle Dynamics and Control Systems (VDCS), HV Battery Development, and Powertrain R&D, outlining their roles and current projects.
The department that piqued my interest was VDCS, led and presented by Yash Raj Khusro. Yash explained the importance of software development in modern vehicles, including electric hypercars, and used that video of Chris Harris performing a high-speed drift in a Nevera to illustrate that it wouldn’t be possible without an ECU tuned for such activities.
Next, the Powertrain R&D manager revealed that an electric motor capable of 800hp and 1,100Nm of torque is being developed for a Saudi company. Being an agricultural engineer in the making, I joked they could put one in a tractor, knowing damn well it isn’t desirable or necessary to have 800hp in a tractor. But why not?
After the presentations came the fun part. What used to be a greenhouse showcasing plants now showcases part of Mate Rimac’s personal car collection. First up was an Aston Martin Valkyrie, for which Rimac developed a hybrid battery. Next came a Pininfarina Battista (essentially a re-skinned Nevera), followed by a pair of silver BMW E46 M3 CSLs. Other standouts included a BMW E30 M3 (known locally as “kockica” or “cube”), a tastefully lowered VW Golf GTI, a Manthey Racing Porsche 911 GT3 RS, a Porsche Carrera GT, a Mercedes-McLaren SLR, and a dark blue GT3-inspired BMW M3 F80 track car with ‘SUB-7’ vanity plates. Someone may have new Nürburgring plans…
After the garage tour, the ‘speed dating’ segment began, with department representatives and managers seated behind tables, speaking with candidates in four-minute rotations. Surprisingly, I was more excited than nervous. I’m glad it went well!
