What’s so special about the electric Rimac Concept One?

Richard Hammond has driven his fair share of cars, and the former Top Gear presenter has also had his fair share of accidents.

The 47-year-old, who now presents Grand Tour, Amazon’s Top Gear follow-up, was doing a practice run in an electric car in Switzerland last week when the car plunged down a hill before landing upside down and bursting into flames.

Hammond managed to escape from the burning car through a broken window and after several hours’ surgery for a broken knee, he’s vowed to get back behind the wheel.

Posting on Drive Tribe website Hammond said his ‘Swiss Army knee’ was functional. “It bends in the middle and whilst a problem at airport security, is at least rustproof. Back in action soon,” Hammond wrote.

But what was it about the Rimac Concept One, the electric super car he was driving?

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVKn9d3hKcz/?tagged=richardhammond&hl=en

The one in the crash won’t be driven again, if photographs of the burnt-out shell of the vehicle are anything to go by. But the car is now almost a household name, thanks to the crash, and it’s certainly not your average car, that’s for sure.

https://www.instagram.com/p/BVMpmeRjArO/?tagged=richardhammond&hl=en

So what exactly is the Rimac Concept One? It is the world’s first all-electric hypercar, but it’s makers also claim that it’s the world’s fastest-accelerating electric vehicle too.

How fast is fast?  It can reach 100 kilometres an hour in just 2.5 seconds, 200 km/h is 6 seconds and 300 km/h in 14 seconds, with a top speed of 355 km/h.

It has four electric motors and has an output of 811 kW (1,088 hp).

And the price? $1.3million (US$980,000).

You can see for or yourself what it looks like.

Rimac Automobili, the maker of the car, posted on its site that company wished Hammond a quick recovery!

If you had the money, would you buy something like this?