Photo: Verne
Construction of the first plant in Croatia and the wider region for autonomous vehicle production has started near the country’s capital Zagreb. It will be the home of Verne, an autonomous electric robotaxi, named after French author Jules Verne.
Mate Rimac, founder and CEO of Rimac Automobili and Rimac Group, presented Verne in July last year. Construction is planned to be completed late this year. The factory will start operating in 2026, according to the project timeline.
The works have progressed well, Verne said. The site spanning 28,500 square meters is within VGP Park Zagreb in Lučko.
The project is a collaboration between Verne, a Croatian company developing an innovative ecosystem for urban autonomous mobility, and VGP, a pan-European provider of high-quality logistics and semi-industrial real estate, the announcement adds.
Croatia is positioning as a key player in the modern automotive industry
Marko Pejković, CEO and Co-founder of Verne, said building the large-scale factory is a strategic step for the company and a significant contribution to the development of a future-oriented automotive industry in Croatia.
It is the first factory of its kind in the region, positioning the country as a key player in the modern automotive industry, in his view.
Verne vehicles for all markets would be produced in Croatia and exported globally.
The Verne factory project received no funding from the EU
“It’s important to mention that the construction of the Verne factory, its maintenance costs, along with additional resources Verne will invest in equipment, are entirely funded through private investments and are not connected to EU funding”, Pejković noted.
The autonomous electric vehicles plant will be built according to Verne’s requirements and specifications, while the building will be owned by VGP. The factory will be on a long-term lease, which is a standard business arrangement for industrial facilities, Verne said.
It aims to obtain the BREEAM Excellent certification for the facility and comply with the EU’s taxonomy. It will be equipped with state-of-the-art technology for manufacturing, assembly and testing of Verne autonomous vehicles, the Croatian company added.
Upon completion, the factory is expected to create up to 400 positions.
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