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

Home > Industry Analysis > Content

【Summary】Rimac is offering eight years of free access to the high-speed Ionity network for buyers of its electric hypercar, the Nevera. However, the catch is that the car starts at around €2m (£1.74m). To make this deal seem more enticing, calculations show that you would need to drive around 5,799,900 miles in those eight years to break even. While this may not be practical for most consumers, it could be appealing for those who want to drive a high-performance electric hypercar extensively.

FutureCar Staff Oct 21, 2023 4:23 PM PT

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

Car manufacturers have been offering deals where their best electric vehicles (EVs) come with discounted or free access to high-speed public charging networks. 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 approximately 1,000 free miles. However, there is a new deal that offers a whopping eight years of free access to the high-speed Ionity network. But, there's a catch - you need to purchase a Rimac Nevera, an electric hypercar with a starting price of around €2m (£1.74m).

Nevertheless, there's another way to view this offer. Let's do some T3 Maths to make the Ionity deal seem like the EV deal of the century. Currently, Ionity chargers are priced at about £0.75 per kWh. Considering the cost of the Nevera, it is equivalent to 2,320,000 kWh of energy. By dividing this by the car's 120 kWh battery pack, you 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 only need to cover 5,799,900 miles over those eight years to break even. This translates to approximately 725,000 miles per year or a mere 1,900 miles per day. If you become a chauffeur specializing in long-distance airport runs, you could achieve this goal. However, it might be necessary to focus on routes that exclusively use derestricted sections of the German Autobahn and hire someone to take over driving duties at night.

Finally, you would only need to spend around £90 each time you charge at a superfast, 350 kW Ionity station to earn back your £1.74m investment. This may not be the usual consumer advice from T3, but if you happen to be in the market for a 1,900-horsepower electric hypercar and plan to drive it continuously for nearly a decade, this deal could be quite appealing.