Electric car's catch-free rapid charging for eight years

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【Summary】The Rimac Nevera electric hypercar offers eight years of free access to the high-speed Ionity network, but there's a catch: it costs around £1.74m. To break even on the cost, you would need to completely fill the car 19,333 times and cover 5,799,900 miles in eight years. While this may not be practical for most consumers, it could be an enticing deal for those in the market for a powerful electric hypercar.

FutureCar Staff Oct 21, 2023 9:24 AM PT

Electric car's catch-free rapid charging for eight years

Car manufacturers are increasingly offering deals that include discounted or free access to high-speed public charging networks for their best electric vehicles (EVs). This not only reduces the cost of battery top-ups but also enhances the value of the car. Typically, these deals last for a year or provide enough charging for around 1,000 free miles. However, there is one deal that stands out: eight years of free access to the high-speed Ionity network.

Unfortunately, there's a catch. To take advantage of this offer, you need to purchase a Rimac Nevera, an electric hypercar that holds various speed records and starts at approximately €2m (£1.74m).

But let's look at this offer from a different perspective and do some T3 Maths to make it seem like the EV deal of the century. Currently, Ionity chargers cost about £0.75 per kWh. The cost of the Nevera is equivalent to 2,320,000 kWh of energy. If we divide this by the car's 120 kWh battery pack, you would only need to fully charge the car 19,333 times to recoup your investment.

Now, taking into account the claimed 300-mile range of the Nevera (assuming sensible driving), you would need to cover 5,799,900 miles in those eight years to break even. That's approximately 725,000 miles per year or a mere 1,900 miles per day. So, if you become a chauffeur specializing in long-distance airport runs, you could easily achieve this. However, it might be necessary to exclusively drive on derestricted sections of German Autobahn and hire someone to take over the driving duties at night.

Lastly, each time you charge at a superfast, 350 kW Ionity station, you would need to spend £90. By doing so, you would quickly earn back your £1.74m investment.

This may not be the usual consumer advice you expect from T3, but if you happen to be in the market for a 1,900-horsepower electric hypercar and have a desire to drive it non-stop for nearly a decade, this deal might be quite enticing.