Rimac unveils Verne, an electric robotaxi for Europe and Middle East

Croatian hypercar maker Rimac, so far mostly known for its Nevera EV, has unveiled something entirely different. It’s a compact-sized hatchback called Verne, which has sliding doors, two seats inside, a 43-inch display and no manual steering controls. The company promises to launch a self-driving taxi service based on this model in Zagreb, but not until 2026 at the earliest.

From the design standpoint, the car has what pretty much amounts to a single-space body with a huge glass dome and three doors – two sliding ones and a tailgate. There is a normal trunk area in the back, but only two seats in the cabin. The company argues that it should be enough, since 90% of all taxi trips are booked by one or two people.

As a fully autonomous vehicle, the Rimac Verne lacks a steering wheel and pedals. It even has no wipers on the giant windshield, because it relies on sensors for moving around and not eyes. The passengers can keep themselves entertained with a 43-inch multimedia display hooked up to a 17-channel audio system. A dedicated smartphone app will let customers specify their preferred cabin temperature, lighting and even scent upon ordering the car, so that it arrives with all the parameters already set.

Rimac also calls the interior “impressively roomy” and says it plans to trim it with wear-resistant materials. All technical details remain secret, since the Verne is still a design study at this point.

The company has already officially established its robotaxi service in Zagreb, Croatia, near its HQ. It is currently in talks with the city authorities of 30 cities in Europe and Middle East countries, while 11 cities have already agreed to launch the service in test mode when it is ready. According to Rimac, its self-driving electric taxi fleet will not attempt to compete with the existing services, instead providing residents with a hi-tech alternative.