2 January 2024
Robotaxi will use array of sensors and computers to analyse its surroundings
Croatian company will expand into ‘mobility’ with self-driving electric car, partly developed in the UK
Rimac will show a highly autonomous ‘robotaxi’ in early 2024 and plans for it to be in commercial operation by 2026.
The Croatian company, maker of the 1877bhp Nevera electric hypercar and parent of Bugatti, is expanding into the mass-mobility market under the Project 3 Mobility banner.
Rimac has revealed only a few details of the commercial plan for its robotaxi so far, but it has been announced that some backing will come from Kia.
Founder and boss Mate Rimac told Autocar that the Nevera serves an important purpose as a halo product for Rimac but the robotaxi project aims to “change the lives of more people” by providing easy-access, electric urban transport.
Details remain scarce ahead of its unveiling, but the robotaxi is understood to be capable of driving entirely without human input and will operate within a framework of infrastructure that Rimac is developing alongside the vehicle itself – including chargers, storage hubs and parking spaces.
However, Rimac revealed to Autocar that the mysterious machine “is a car but a completely different type”. This suggests that it will be a largely bespoke proposition, designed with an emphasis on maximising interior space and electric powertrain efficiency.
The fact that Rimac has been using a Renault Espace MPV for testing purposes could give some indication as to the robotaxi’s size and shape.
Mate Rimac said it “could change the way people move around cities”. His thinking is that the service can be premium but “that doesn’t mean expensive or posh”.
His company is purposely staying under the radar until it has a product to show, in order to avoid “underdelivering”. Project 3 is a stand-alone brand within the Rimac Group portfolio, separate from both the eponymous supercar maker and Bugatti.
It was recently awarded €179.5 million (£156.7m) in funding from the EU’s Recovery and Resilience Facility, which exists to encourage economic growth across the bloc post-pandemic.
Project 3 is centred on the Croatian capital, Zagreb, but it also has an R&D presence in the UK, with around 100 engineers based at a new facility at the Rimac Technology R&D UK base near Warwick.
Project 3’s first priority is to build a dedicated factory for the robotaxi, before beginning operations in various locations outside Croatia. Mate Rimac explained in a statement: “The goal is for the production of vehicles and a large number of components
to be based in Croatia, which would then export tens of thousands of units per year to locations where the robotaxi service will be provided.”
The company is reportedly in discussions with 20 cities across Europe and the Middle East about offering the service after a pilot scheme in Zagreb. Rimac’s website details a plan for it to be in operation in Croatia by 2026, followed a year later by Germany and the UK.