The Verne replaces the steering wheel and pedals with a 43-inch screen, with robotaxi service set to start in Europe in 2026.
Croatian startup Rimac rose to prominence over the past decade with electric hypercars like the 1813-hp Nevera and a high-profile merger with hypercar connoisseurs Bugatti in 2021.
But now Rimac is expanding into a new realm with the Verne robotaxi, an autonomous pod that eliminates all driving controls and is due to hit the streets in 2026.
The company’s name is a reference to Jules Verne, the 19th-century French writer famous for sci-fi adventure novels such as Journey to the Center of the Earth and Twenty Thousand Leagues Under the Seas.Â
In a press release, the automaker cited Verne’s focus on travel and the future in his stories as key inspirations for the company’s autonomous vision.
The Verne robotaxi sports a very unorthodox look, smoothly styled with an unusual trapezoidal profile that is accentuated by a long windshield that nearly reaches the front of the vehicle.
Verne says the odd shape is the result of designing from the inside out. Cameras and sensors poke out at various points, most notably the periscope protruding from the roof and sensors peeking out from the side windows, hinting at the vehicle’s autonomous capabilities.
Since the Verne vehicle is fully autonomous, the company was able to scrap features from human-driven cars like sideview mirrors and windshield wipers to create a more aerodynamic silhouette.
