[REVISION HISTORY]
Mate Rimac robotaxi project funding crisis
Updated 2 times since CLSTR started tracking revisions of this situation.
What changed
2026-09-01 14:43 UTC → 2026-09-01 14:43 UTC ·
added
removed
Verne prepared to return funds amid Mate Rimac robotaxi project funding crisis
Mate Rimac’s company, Project 3 Mobility (Verne), has failed to meet the core requirements and deadlines for its robotaxi project, which was supported by 179.5 million euros in European Union funds through the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPOO). The project’s failure stems from the company’s inability to produce a proprietary level five autonomous vehicle, a key condition of the funding agreement. While robotaxis are currently operating in Zagreb, they rely on level four autonomy via partnerships with Uber and Pony.ai rather than the mandated level five technology. To date, the company has only officially justified 8.7 million euros of the 89.9 million euros disbursed. Following the project’s official deadline on August 30, 2026, Verne announced it is prepared to return 89.7 million euros in advances if a final evaluation determines that contractual obligations were not fully met. Over a 30-day period, the company will submit a detailed report on activities, costs, and results for assessment. While authorities have verified the delivery of autonomous electric vehicle prototypes and the implementation of driving regulations, other objectives remain under evaluation, including the production of specialized vehicles, the operationalization of infrastructure, and the issuance of 50,000 free travel vouchers for persons with disabilities. Prime Minister Andrej Plenković maintained that the Croatian government fulfilled all necessary legislative and infrastructure prerequisites, arguing the failure was beyond state control. He emphasized that the project’s status should not jeopardize the broader NPOO, noting that Croatia has received 7.3 billion euros in funds to date.
Versions
- 2026-09-01 14:43 UTC Mate Rimac robotaxi project funding crisis
- 2026-09-01 14:43 UTC Verne prepared to return funds amid robotaxi project crisis
- 2026-09-01 06:13 UTC Mate Rimac robotaxi project funding crisis
Only revisions since CLSTR began indexing content versions appear here. Select a version to see what changed compared to the one before it.