Is this Tesla’s killer robo-taxi? Meet the “Verne”.

Watch out for Elon Musk. There’s another robotaxi game in town – and it’s backed by a highly regarded name in the electric vehicle sector.

Rimac, a manufacturer of electric vehicles and hypercars, has launched “Verne”, an autonomous robot taxi startup named after author Jules Verne, the “father of science fiction”. Verne (the startup) launched its futuristic EV robotaxi at an event in Rimac’s hometown of Zagreb, Croatia. The sleek vehicle appears similar in size to a VW Golf, with a premium interior and Mobileye technology.

Verne is an “ecosystem” that includes three interdependent parts: an autonomous electric vehicle, a mobile app that consumers use to hail the robo-taxi, and an infrastructure system called, as the company puts it, the “mothership.” . This is where the robotaxis will be serviced and maintained.

Verne will launch in Zagreb in 2026 with the aim of deploying robotaxis worldwide.

But a key factor in the Verne formula – which makes the startup one that Tesla (TSLA) needs to keep an eye on – is its main backer: Mate Rimac, the founder of his namesake company. He is one of three founders alongside Verne CEO Marko Pejković and designer Adriano Mudri.

“(Verne) is a service that will be tailored to your needs in every possible way,” Mate Rimac said in a statement. “We’re shifting the focus from the technology itself to its benefits.”

Mate Rimac is not left out in the world of electric vehicles. He launched his electric vehicle company, Rimac Automobili, in 2011, at the age of 23. The company’s $2.2 million Nevera EV hypercar has won numerous awards and its innovative technology, from motors to inverters and other EV infrastructure, has been licensed to automakers like BMW. .

Rimac, whom one auto industry source calls “Elon Musk without the baggage,” is quietly building his empire. Rimac also recently entered into a joint venture called Bugatti-Rimac with Porsche (POAHY), owner of luxury automaker Bugatti, of which Mate will be CEO.

Rimac has now thrown its hat into the robotaxis sector, a few months before the launch of its taxi by Tesla and Elon Musk on August 8.

Musk insisted that Tesla’s robotaxi is the key to unlocking billions in additional value for the company. The question is whether Tesla’s offering will compete with Rimac and its Verne autonomous electric vehicle.

The Verne EV looks great and offers a luxurious interior, which at this point seems more lavish than Tesla’s Model 3 or Model Y. The car uses sliding doors for easy entry, and although there are no pedals, steering wheel or traditional dashboard. speaking of which, there is instead a 43-inch widescreen for infotainment purposes. For Tesla, rumors point to an industrial Cybertruck-type look for Musk’s robotaxi, which could be controversial.

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Under the hood (so to speak), the Verne EV uses Mobileye’s autonomous driving package, which is supposed to operate autonomously in urban environments, using a combination of cameras, LIDAR and radar sensors. Verne and Rimac promise Level 4 autonomy, meaning the car has full control but only in certain conditions – for example in city or city driving with a geo-fenced operating zone.

With Rimac’s expertise in electric vehicle components and manufacturing, building the Verne EV should be no problem. Verne is aiming for a robotaxi release in 2026, with an upcoming expansion to cities in the UK and Germany, then the Middle East. Verne said it has also reached agreements with 11 cities in the EU, UK and Middle East, and negotiations are underway with another 30 cities interested in the Verne service.

Let the Hunger Games of the robotaxi world begin.

Pras Subramanian is a journalist for Yahoo Finance covering the automotive industry. You can follow it Twitter and on Instagram.

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