Verne Robotaxi: Croatia’s Cold, Calculated Strike on Europe’s EV and Autonomous Market

In an industry dominated by Silicon Valley optimism and German overengineering, Croatia has taken a different route: build it, test it, launch it—without the fanfare. Backed by EU money, global capital, and the vision of Rimac Group, the Verne robotaxi is now positioned to become Europe’s first true autonomous ride-hailing platform at scale.

The project is led by Project 3 Mobility (P3 Mobility), an offshoot of Rimac Group, the same company that built the world’s fastest electric hypercar and now owns a majority stake in Bugatti.

This is not a fringe startup—this is industrial-grade autonomy, bankrolled and built by one of Europe’s most aggressive automotive innovators.

The company’s newly launched vehicle, Verne, is named after sci-fi author Jules Verne, but it’s not fiction. It’s a fully electric, Level 4 autonomous robotaxi, meaning it drives itself with no steering wheel or pedals.

Verne isn’t a prototype—it’s being deployed.

Specs and Technical Breakdown

• Autonomy: Powered by Mobileye Drive.

• Battery: 60 kWh LFP battery.

• Motor: 211 horsepower, front-wheel drive.

• Range: ~240 km (150 miles) per charge.

• Charging: 100 kW fast charging capability.

• Interior: Seats two, with a 43” panoramic display, 17-speaker system, fully reclinable seating.

• No manual controls: This is a fully driverless vehicle.

P3 Mobility is currently building a 28,500-square-meter facility near Zagreb. Production is scheduled to begin in 2026. Unlike most Western autonomous projects, Verne is not for sale to consumers. The company is building an integrated ride-hailing service, deploying full fleets of Verne robotaxis in partner cities.

Zagreb will be the first launch city. Agreements are already signed with 11 other cities, including Manchester (UK), several in Germany, and others under negotiation in 30+ cities worldwide.

Capital and Funding

• Private investment: €100 million from:

  • Kia

  • TASARU Mobility Investments (Saudi Arabia)

  • Rimac Group

• Public grants: €180 million in EU funds through the Recovery and Resilience Facility, making it one of the most heavily supported mobility initiatives in the European Union.

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Strategic Playbook

P3 Mobility’s business model is vertically integrated:

• Vehicles are built in-house.

• Software and autonomy stack by Mobileye, integrated with proprietary hardware.

• Fleet operations run city-by-city via public-private partnership deals.

• Urban integration includes charging infrastructure, maintenance, and operations.

The company’s intent is not to be another Uber or Tesla competitor—it’s to own the high-end, autonomous urban mobility vertical from hardware to app.

The Big Picture

Verne represents a shift in the European EV game. While legacy automakers are still outsourcing autonomy to Silicon Valley or dragging their heels with L3 driver-assist systems, Croatia is bringing a full, production-ready Level 4 system to market under its own flag.

This is the first serious attempt by an Eastern European country to export urban autonomous mobility, and it’s doing so with the blessing of Brussels and the backing of Riyadh.

In a decade where most European capitals are banning petrol cars and talking about AI regulation, Croatia is already building the future fleet.