The Crittenden Automotive Library

Rimac Technology in Wheelchair

Rimac Technology in Wheelchair

Rimac Automobili
July 22, 2014

Sveta Nedelja, July 22nd , 2014. – Rimac Automobili has proven once again that technology developed for electric supercars can be used in various applications. An adapted battery system was integrated into a standard wheelchair in order to improve the user’s quality of life. The new battery system drastically increases the range, reduces weight, improves overall performance and drastically reduces the environmental impact of battery-powered wheelchairs.

Rimac Automobili has the ambition to spread their technology into different products – wheelchairs are just one of many potential applications. Mate Rimac, founder and CEO: “Rolly Bugnar, a young and extremely bright young man, contacted us to help him improve his wheelchair. Since we have already used the technology originally developed for the Concept_One supercar in other products like the high-performance Greyp Bikes, we were confident that we could relatively quickly adapt our battery for a wheelchair. All our systems are designed with modularity in mind. We have chosen to take the Greyp G12 battery system, Battery Management System (BMS), Vehicle Control Unit (VCU) and Human Machine Interface (HMI) as the base for this project. It still took us months of development and adaptation, but we are all very satisfied with the performance and reliability of the prototype system.”

The comparison between the old battery and the Rimac system is unveiling the potential of this technology. The range was increased from 10 km to 60 km. The battery weight was reduced from 31,7 kg to 21,1 kg while the projected lifetime is increased 10 times. According to Rimac’s predictions, the new battery system will last for 10 years without loosing any capacity while the traditional wheelchair batteries have to be replaced every year. Combined with the recyclability of Lithium batteries, this solution does not only improve the life quality of the wheelchair user, but significantly reduces the environmental impact of electric wheelchairs.

For Rimac Automobili this was a pilot project with no plans for commercialization. Monika Mikac, COO of Rimac Automobili elaborates: “Our company is based four different pillars:

Sportscars
Future mobility
Electric vehicle technology
Engineering and prototypes

We are already quite diversified, entering the wheelchair market would be an entirely different field for us and. Before any steps towards commercialization, we will have to do further studies.”

For more information, photos, video material or interviews please contact us:
Rimac Automobili, +385 1 563 4591
press@rimac-automobili.com or visit our web page: www.rimac-automobili.com