PHOTO: New autonomous vehicle production facility in Zagreb
- by croatiaweek
- in Business
(Photo: VGP)
VGP, a European provider of high-quality logistics and semi-industrial real estate, is developing a new business park in Lučko near Zagreb, Croatia, the company said in a statement today.
VGP Park Zagreb is located on an 8-hectare site and will offer 28,500 m² to Verne, previously known as Project 3 Mobility (“P3M”), a Croatian company building an innovative ecosystem for urban autonomous mobility. The site offers extension possibilities in the future.
Verne will use the site for its new flagship urban autonomous mobility ecosystem project. Verne’s service and its ecosystem are based on three key elements: a fully autonomous electric vehicle, along with specialised infrastructure and a mobility service platform, including a user app.
The project, which was announced on June 26, 2024, at Rimac Campus in Zagreb, is going to establish the proof that a new standard of movement is possible. The first service will be launched in Zagreb in 2026, followed by the UK and Germany.
(Photo: Verne)
Verne, which secured investments including from TASARU Mobility Investments – a company fully owned by the Public Investment Fund (PIF) of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia – and Kia, one of South Korea’s leading automotive manufacturers, was founded in 2019 by Mate Rimac and two of his closest colleagues and friends from Rimac Group – Marko Pejković, now CEO of Verne, and Adriano Mudri, Chief Design Officer at Verne.
Marko Pejković, CEO of Verne, says: “We have found a great location and the right partner for building our first production facility for autonomous vehicles in Zagreb. All Verne vehicles will be produced here. Vehicles for all markets will be manufactured in Croatia, giving our country a key role in the modern automotive industry. Initially, we will produce several hundred vehicles, and later the facility will have the capacity to produce up to 10,000 vehicles per year.
The production volume will increase over time, following the project’s dynamics. The construction of this large-scale production facility represents a significant achievement and a crucial step for our project and our country. We will create numerous quality jobs, thereby attracting and retaining talent here in Croatia.”
(Photo: Verne)
Jan Van Geet, CEO of VGP, says: “It is an honour for VGP to contribute to Verne’s groundbreaking project by constructing new facilities for its development and production at VGP Park Zagreb. The development of this hub for technological breakthroughs is a reflection of our commitment to innovation, sustainability, and the reindustrialisation of Europe. Enabled by our in-house technical expertise, we are looking forward to realising high-quality facilities for Verne, paving the way for a smarter and more sustainable mobility.”
The site in Lučko is situated just 10 km from the centre of the capital city of Zagreb and only 15 minutes by car from Zagreb Airport, and benefits from excellent connectivity at the junction of the E-70 and E-65 motorways, facilitating easy access to major cities across Croatia and neighbouring countries.
(Photo: Verne)
The preparation activities have already started, and VGP expects to begin construction work by the end of this summer. The asset is designed to meet the BREEAM Excellent certification, ensuring high sustainable standards, including the installation of a photovoltaic system on the building’s roof and EV charging facilities in the parking areas. Finally, it aims to comply with the environmental targets set by the EU Taxonomy Regulation.
