Rimac’s robotaxi subsidiary Verne begins factory construction
Last June, Rimac, in which Porsche holds a 20 per cent stake, presented its plans for its own robotaxi service. Named after Jules Verne, the new service and its ecosystem are to be based on three key elements – including the autonomous vehicle itself, which is to be manufactured by Verne himself and, of course, powered purely by electricity. The completely newly developed electric car is designed as a two-seater, is intended to drive completely autonomously and, even in the beginning, will manage without a safety driver – as with Tesla’s Cybercab, which was presented four months later, neither a steering wheel nor pedals are planned.
Construction of the first production facility for autonomous vehicles has now begun in Croatia. The plant is being built on a 28,500 square metre site in Lučko in the greater Zagreb area. VGP, a pan-European provider of logistics and semi-industrial property, is involved in the construction of the production facility.
“The construction of the Verne large-scale production factory is a strategically important step for our company and a significant contribution to the development of a future-oriented automotive industry in Croatia. This is the first factory of its kind in the region, positioning Croatia as a key player in the modern automotive industry. Verne vehicles for all markets will be produced in Croatia and exported globally,” says Marko Pejković, CEO and co-founder of Verne. He emphasised that the construction of the Verne factory, its maintenance costs and the additional funds that Verne plans to invest in equipment will be fully financed by private investment and are not linked to EU funding. However, Verne has received EU funding totalling €179.5 million for the development of its offering in 2023.
The start of construction at VGP Park Zagreb is VGP’s first investment in Croatia. The production facility for autonomous electric vehicles will be built according to Verne’s requirements and specifications, while the factory building will be owned by VGP. A long-term lease agreement will be concluded for the factory, as is customary for industrial facilities.
Up to 400 jobs are to be created in the factory. Construction work is scheduled to be completed by the end of this year, while the factory is scheduled to go into operation in 2026. This ambitious schedule is also necessary, as Verne wants to launch its robotaxi service as early as 2026, first in Zagreb and then in other European cities (first in the UK and Germany) and in the Middle East.
However, Verne is not a wholly owned subsidiary of Rimac; other investors are also on board. The South Korean car manufacturer Kia, for example, invested in Verne at an early stage. And last year, a Series C financing round totalling 100 million euros was led by Tasaru Mobility Investments, a subsidiary of the Saudi Arabian State Public Investment Fund. Elaf Auto from Qatar is also among the investors. In view of these two partners, it is clear that the Middle East is an important target market for Verne alongside Europe.
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