Faster than an Uber! Hypercar maker to launch robotaxi service in 2026

Late for an office meeting or brunch with friends in the city? An Uber soon won’t be the fastest way of getting there…

That’s because an electric hypercar company has just launched its own autonomous mobility platform – and says it is coming to the UK in the next two years.

The brand, which also part owns French luxury car firm Bugatti, has revealed its next venture, Verne, which is named after Jules Verne, the author who imagined humanity’s potential through amazing journeys.

It will consist of a ‘three-part eco system’, made up of an autonomous electric vehicle, bespoke app and specialist infrastructure called the ‘Mothership’. The first service will be launched in 2026 in Zagreb, Croatia, and will be launched in Britain later that year.

The hypercar maker in question is Rimac. 

The Verne robotaxi venture is the brainchild of Rimac boss Mate Rimac and two of his closest colleagues and friends from Rimac Group – Marko Pejković, the ride-hailing firms’ CEO, and Adriano Mudri, the designer of Rimac’s Nevera hypercar and Verne’s chief design officer.

In a statement, the company says the new urban autonomous mobility platform aims to prove ‘that a new standard of movement is possible’.

Rimac – founded in 2009 – is famous for manufacturing era-defining hypercars, focused on the electric future.

But now it’s turned its attention to driverless cars, with Verne demonstrating radically different autonomous vehicle design and future mobility services.

Verne vehicle won’t be hypercar fast but will have ‘more space than a Rolls-Royce’

Verne says the EV ‘is nothing like you can currently see on the streets’ and will be developed on a new purpose-built platform.

It already has partnered with Mobileye, a world leader in autonomy, to enable the EV to be fully self-driving without a steering wheel or pedals.

Similar to Waymo self-driving taxis currently in service in the US, the EV will be capable of driving in dynamic urban traffic, and will use Mobileye’s advances AD platform Mobileye Drive, as well as camera, radar and linar sensors to enable the autonomous driving capabilities.

Verne says the platform is designed to be highly flexible and scalable so it can meet demands in different locations, on different road types, under different weather conditions and even take into account local driving styles.

The EV will have two seats, with Adriano Mudri saying the choice is because ‘the data shows that nine out of 10 rides are used by one or two people’.

Verne claims there will be ‘more space than a Rolls-Royce to relax and spend your time well’.

Sliding doors mean people can hop in quickly without obstructing traffic flow, while the interior itself is like a living room with space to chill out and stretch thanks to the deletion of driving controls and a conventional dashboard.

The pair of extra-large chairs enable five different levels of comfort, to relax, work or rest. The seat materials are durable and manufactured from premium materials to feel almost sofa-like.

Occupants sit below a rounded sunroof called the Halo ring that is said to enable ‘new views of cities’ as users can stare at the skyline during the journey.

Up front is a screen that’s big enough for your living room.

At 43-inches, the ultra-wide display is another level. And Verne promises it will be the perfect place to listen to music or watch movies with a 17-speaker audio system.

There’s also a Touchpad between the seats for overseeing the in-vehicle system.

And a key feature will let you control the important parts of the ride – called the Median. The Median physical switch will start and stop the ride, so you feel in control.

The exterior is based on a unique shape that stands out in an urban environment, with safety the top priority.

The Verne robotaxi will merge a smooth, encircling canopy that’s ‘space-ship like’ with an solid lower body. It’s the size of a compact car with the ‘exclusive comfort of an executive limousine’.

Mudri, the design boss, said: ‘We’re able to simplify the appearance by removing the typical human-driven vehicle features. We got rid of the windshield wipers. The same goes forside-view mirrors. This makes the aerodynamic performance more efficient and allows for easier cleaning.

‘One typical element of an automobile we kept is the trunk. So you don’t need to worry if you’re going to the airport with a lot of luggage or just finished a major grocery shopping.’

How will Verne’s ride-hailing platform work? 

To hail the robotaxi, you just use the Verne app, where you can check real-time location, how long pick-up will be and personalised the ride – from temperature to scent. 

And – unlike some unreliable Uber drivers – it won’t be cancelled, giving you piece of mind.

The Verne ‘Mothership’ infrastructure ‘is a home where our Verne vehicles are taken care of’ to ensure they run seamlessly, says Pejković, the chief exec.

The Verne vehicles will get daily inspections, maintenance, cleaning and charging to make sure they are ‘always safe, clean and ready to take you on a new adventure’.

When will we see Verne vehicles on UK roads? 

The first Verne service will be launch in Zagreb, with the company announcing it is starting to build a large-scale production facility there already. 

All assembly, callibration and testing will also take place in the Croatian capital.

Then Verne will roll out to other European cities, with the UK and Germany first on the list, and the Middle East. 

The brand says it’s already signed agreements with 11 cities across the EU, UK and Middle East, with another 30 metropolises in negotiations currently.

‘This production facility will put Croatia on the map as a country that encourages the development of key future technologies that will bring many benefits to the community’,Pejković said.