Rimac and 20 Million Euros for Prototypes That Don’t Exist: The Robotaxi Scandal Exposed!
Did you know that Mate Rimac’s company, Project 3 Mobility (P3M), received a loan of nearly 20 million euros from the Croatian government for developing robotaxis – yet the prototypes of these vehicles do not exist? Yes, you read that right!
How did this scandal happen?
Back in February 2021, P3M received a loan of almost 20 million euros intended for the research and development of autonomous vehicles with level five autonomy. This money was strictly allocated for creating prototypes and starting work on verification prototypes of robotaxis. However, the prototypes were never made, and deadlines kept getting pushed.
Although Rimac claimed he couldn’t work on the project before signing the contract with the European Commission in June 2022, the contract with the Croatian government shows that P3M already had millions of euros at its disposal in February 2021 to work on the project. They even applied in December 2021 to be included in the National Recovery and Resilience Plan (NPOO), which the public only learned about in March 2022.
Where are the prototypes?
To this day, P3M has not delivered a single prototype nor provided proof of their existence. Deadlines were moved from 2021 to 2022, and then to 2023. Experts warn that a level five autonomous vehicle currently does not exist anywhere in the world and will only be possible by the end of the decade, meaning Rimac’s robotaxi project cannot be fulfilled within the set timeframe.
Why is this a problem?
This is not just a matter of delays – it’s a matter of transparency and accountability. The Croatian government gave huge funds to a private company without clear evidence of project progress. The contract clearly states that if the European Commission does not approve the project, P3M must return the money with interest within seven days. However, there is no evidence that the project has actually started.
What does P3M say?
P3M claims the official start of the project was approved by the European Commission in May 2022, but that does not change the fact that the funds were already on the account since February 2021. Also, in September 2022, they admitted they had not worked on the main robotaxi project until then.
What’s next?
This scandal casts a shadow over the entire process of allocating European and state funds and raises questions about transparency and responsibility in the high-tech sector in Croatia. While Rimac and his company promise a revolution in mobility, the public and taxpayers are left wondering – where are those prototypes and why was the money spent with no results?
If you have your own take on this scandal or maybe know something we haven’t uncovered, feel free to drop a comment. Maybe together we can crack this mystery!
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