Watch Rimac’s Electric Hypercar Outrun a Bugatti Veyron in a Drag Race

Between the simple physics of electric motors (maximum torque at zero rpm, baby) and the nearly-endless stream of “Tesla Versus Insert-Your-Favorite-Fast-Car-Here” videos on the web, none of us should be surprised at how quickly electric cars can accelerate. But every now and again, a video comes along and thrills us all over again with its depiction of an EV-versus-gas-powered car duel that leaves us astounded by the era of automotive innovation we live in.

This video of Rimac’s Concept_One hypercar whupping the Bugatti Veyron’s ass in the quarter-mile? Yeah, it’s one of those. 

The clip comes from the YouTube account of Wilton Classic & Supercar, a British-based event that brings together and celebrates…well, classic cars and supercars. The WC&S folks brought their Bugatti Veyron over to Rimac’s home country of Croatia to test the pride of VW A.G. against the electric hypercar in a classic drag race on a chilly winter morning. Both all-wheel-drive cars boast similar power figures, though they arrive at them in very different ways: the Bugatti’s quad-turbocharged W-16 whips up 987 horsepower, while the Concept_One makes 1,088 ponies by using four electric motors. 

If this were the only example of Rimac’s electric speed machine kicking hypercar butt, we’d be tempted to dismiss it as a one-off event. But considering the Concept_One has been seen dusting off the likes of the Ferrari LaFerrari and the Porsche 918 Spyder in straight-line runs—with at least one of those cars a U.S. customer’s personal vehicle, according to the low-volume carmaker—Rimac seems to have been the rare supercar startup to successful launch a car that can compete with the world’s best. In a straight line, at least. 

Bugatti Veyron vs Rimac Concept_One drag race!