Rimac Verne unveiled – two-seater electric taxi to be built in Zagreb, Croatia; service to launch in 2026
Croatian supercar manufacturer Rimac has unveiled the Verne, a two-seat robotaxi that will join the autonomous taxi service in 2026.
The robotaxi service will go live in 2026, initially in Zagreb, Croatia, where Rimac is based, and the company plans to expand the service to the UK and Germany next year in 2027, two of the 11 cities Verne has signed agreements with, according to Car.
Because the Verne is fully autonomous, there is no steering wheel or pedals, and the robotaxi’s cabin has two seats, each with five different position settings. The cabin’s standout feature is a 43-inch display screen, controlled by a touchpad on the center console.
The hatchback shape is designed from the inside out, note Carwith an exterior designed to prioritize the neat integration of necessary cameras and sensors, as well as serve aerodynamic performance.
“We deeply integrated cameras, radar, short- and long-range lidar, and their cleaning systems. At the same time, we were able to simplify the look by eliminating features typically found in human-driven vehicles. We eliminated the windshield wipers,” said Verne designer Adriano Mudri.
“The same goes for the rearview mirror. This makes aerodynamic performance more efficient and allows for easier cleaning,” said Mudri, who added that a two-seat interior was chosen instead of the more conventional four- or five-seat layout. because “nine out of 10 trips are used by one or two people”.
The Robotaxi Verne is built on a new EV platform that is “highly adaptable” and could therefore serve as the basis for additional variants in the future. According to the company, the vehicle is designed to be suitable for “a variety of locations, on a variety of road types, in a variety of weather conditions and even taking into account local driving styles.”
The Verne robotaxi service will use a dedicated ride-hailing app that will allow the cabin to be pre-conditioned before a passenger begins their journey. For example, the robotaxi could arrive already pre-heated to the passenger’s desired temperature and potentially offer a range of interior scents to choose from, the company said.
A network of locations, called ‘mother ships’ will be built to serve as bases where robotaxi will be tested, charged and serviced. Robotaxi will also be built in Zagreb and this decision aims to “put Croatia on the map as a country that encourages the development of important future technologies”, said Marko Pejković, CEO of Verne .
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