Case Study: Rimac Automobili achieves lightweight, crash‑validated C_Two monocoque design with Altair HyperWorks

Simulation Helps Rimac Improve Structural Design of Innovative Hypercar

Rimac Automobili, maker of the electric hypercar C_Two, faced the challenge of designing the largest single carbon-fiber monocoque in the automotive industry — a lightweight, orthotropic and brittle material that is hard to represent accurately in finite‑element (FE) models. To tackle weight, safety and manufacturability constraints, Rimac’s CAE team adopted Altair’s HyperWorks suite (including HyperMesh, HyperCrash, Radioss, OptiStruct and HyperView) and Altair’s cloud HPC offerings such as the HyperWorks Unlimited virtual appliance (HWUL‑VA).

Using Altair HyperWorks, Rimac ran 123 load cases across component, system and vehicle levels (linear, non‑linear, static and dynamic), iteratively updating designs until FE results closely matched physical tests. The work was completed in five months, produced a prototype that withstood six crash tests, reduced time, material and prototype costs, and accelerated innovation — with Altair’s HWUL‑VA and PBS Works HPC services proving critical to finishing the project on schedule.

Rimac Automobili

Gustavo Andrade

Vehicle Engineering CAE Manager