V-MIL Audit — Bugatti (Bugatti Rimac d.o.o. / Rimac Group Ecosystem)

Audit Phase: V-MIL (Military Forensics) Target Entity: Bugatti Rimac d.o.o. and the broader Rimac Group ecosystem, including Rimac Technology d.o.o., Rimac Energy, and Verne (formerly Project 3 Mobility) Date: 2026-05-01

Corporate Structure Note

Bugatti Rimac d.o.o. was established in November 2021 as a joint venture between Rimac Group and Porsche AG, with Rimac Group holding a 55% stake and Porsche AG holding 45% ¹²³. The parent Rimac Group, founded and led by Mate Rimac, additionally encompasses Rimac Technology d.o.o. (B2B powertrain and battery systems), Rimac Energy (stationary energy storage), and Verne (autonomous urban mobility) ⁴⁵⁶. Rimac Group’s investors include SoftBank Vision Fund 2, Goldman Sachs Asset Management, Porsche AG, and others following a EUR 500 million Series D in 2021 ⁷. Porsche AG is itself a subsidiary of Volkswagen Group AG ⁸. This ownership architecture is material background for several findings below.

Direct Defence Contracting & Procurement

Ministry of Defence & IDF Contracts: No public evidence has been identified of any direct contract, tender award, framework agreement, or memorandum of understanding between Bugatti, Bugatti Rimac d.o.o., or any Rimac Group entity and the Israeli Ministry of Defence (IMOD), the Israel Defence Forces (IDF), Israel Prison Service, or Israel Border Police ^4295310.

Defence Trade Directory Listings: No public evidence has been identified that Bugatti, Bugatti Rimac, or any Rimac Group entity appears in the SIBAT (Israel Defence Export and Defence Cooperation Directorate) export directory, in Israeli defence exhibition catalogues (e.g., ISDEF, DSEI Israel), or in any Israeli or international defence procurement registry in connection with Israeli state contracts ⁹¹⁰.

Press Releases & Official Announcements: No corporate press releases, government announcements, or trade press reports detailing defence cooperation, joint ventures, or partnership agreements between Bugatti/Rimac Group and any Israeli defence entity have been identified across all Rimac Group and Bugatti corporate newsroom outputs reviewed ⁴²⁵³¹¹.

Dual-Use Products & Tactical Variants

Militarised Product Lines: No public evidence has been identified that Bugatti or Bugatti Rimac manufactures or markets ruggedised, tactical, mil-spec, or defence-grade variants of its vehicles or powertrain systems, or that any such variant has been sold to any Israeli security force.

Rimac Technology High-Performance Powertrain Systems: Rimac Technology, the Rimac Group’s B2B subsidiary, manufactures high-performance electric drive units (eAxles) and battery systems for civilian automotive clients ⁵¹²¹³. Published specifications — including power density metrics for the SINTEG 550 eAxle exceeding 8 kW/kg — are documented exclusively in the context of civilian automotive performance applications ¹²¹¹¹⁴. The prior research memo notes that these specifications could theoretically converge with requirements for high-power defence applications such as directed energy weapon power sources; this specific convergence claim is not corroborated by any defence procurement record, export licence filing, or military technology transfer document reviewed, and is not carried forward as a finding. All documented Rimac Technology client relationships — including BMW, Porsche, Koenigsegg, and Automobili Pininfarina — are in civilian automotive applications ⁵¹³.

MINDED EU Consortium Participation: Rimac Technology participates in the MINDED project, an EU Horizon-funded research programme focused on zero-emission transport ¹⁵. Consortium partners include IVECO and AIT Austrian Institute of Technology. IVECO operates a separate defence vehicles division (IVECO Defence Vehicles) that manufactures platforms including the SuperAV amphibious combat vehicle. No public evidence has been identified that Rimac Technology’s role in the MINDED consortium involves any technology transfer to IVECO’s defence division specifically, or that any MINDED deliverable is destined for Israeli defence end-users ¹⁵. The full technical deliverables and end-use specifications of the MINDED project are not available in publicly accessible detail, constituting a structural evidence gap.

Bugatti Tourbillon Powertrain: The Bugatti Tourbillon hypercar, unveiled in 2024, uses Rimac Technology battery and powertrain systems ¹¹. This represents a civilian ultra-high-performance application. No evidence of military specification requirements or dual-use repurposing has been identified in any source reviewed ¹¹¹⁴.

End-User Certification & Export Licensing: No public evidence has been identified of any export licence application, end-user certificate, or government export control review related to Bugatti or Rimac Group sales to Israeli defence or security end-users ¹⁰.

Heavy Machinery, Construction & Infrastructure

Equipment in Occupied Territories: No public evidence has been identified — in NGO reports, photographic documentation, UN documentation, or investigative journalism — of Bugatti or Rimac Group vehicles, machinery, or equipment being used in construction, demolition, or maintenance activity within Israeli settlements, the separation barrier, military installations, or occupied territories ⁹¹⁰.

Construction & Engineering Contracts: No public evidence has been identified of any contract between Bugatti/Rimac Group and any Israeli entity for the construction, maintenance, servicing, or expansion of checkpoints, detention facilities, military bases, the separation barrier, or settlement infrastructure.

Note on Volkswagen Group Supply Relationships: The Who Profits Research Centre database ⁹ documents that the Volkswagen Group — through its Israeli importer Champion Motors — supplies vehicles (Volkswagen Passat, Skoda Octavia) under a leasing programme to Israeli Ministry of Defence personnel, and that MAN Truck & Bus (a VW Group division) supplies chassis used in armoured riot control vehicles deployed by Israeli security forces ⁹¹⁶. This finding pertains to Volkswagen Group AG and MAN Truck & Bus specifically, and not to Bugatti Rimac d.o.o. or the Rimac Group. The causal chain relevant to this audit is: Volkswagen Group AG → Porsche AG (a VW Group subsidiary) → Bugatti Rimac (45% stake held by Porsche AG) ¹⁸. The Who Profits entry ⁹ does not identify Bugatti Rimac, Rimac Group, or Rimac Technology as entities implicated in IMOD supply relationships. No public evidence has been identified that profits or operational decisions flow from VW Group’s Israeli MoD vehicle supply contracts to Bugatti Rimac’s operations, or that any Bugatti Rimac entity is party to those contracts.

Supply Chain Integration with Defence Primes

Direct Component Supply to Israeli Defence Manufacturers: No public evidence has been identified of any direct supply relationship between Bugatti, Bugatti Rimac, or Rimac Technology and Israeli defence prime contractors including Elbit Systems, Israel Aerospace Industries (IAI), Rafael Advanced Defense Systems, or IMI Systems (Elbit Land).

Mobileye and the Verne Platform: The Verne autonomous robotaxi service — a Rimac Group subsidiary — has publicly announced that it is built on the Mobileye Drive autonomous driving platform ¹⁷. Mobileye is an Israeli company headquartered in Jerusalem, majority-controlled by Intel Corporation, and publicly traded on Nasdaq (MBLY) ¹⁸. Mobileye is a civilian automotive technology company; its primary products are advanced driver-assistance system (ADAS) chips and autonomous driving software for the passenger vehicle market. Volkswagen Group, Mobileye, and Champion Motors have previously announced a joint autonomous EV ride-hailing initiative in Israel ¹⁶, further illustrating Mobileye’s integration into the broader VW ecosystem in which Rimac Group operates.

No public evidence has been identified that Mobileye is a direct supplier of hardware or software to the IDF, Elbit Systems, IAI, or Rafael for weapons systems or military platforms. The prior research memo’s claim that Mobileye technology is integrated into the Eitan APC or Merkava Barak tank is not corroborated by any cited primary source; the Globes reporting on those platforms ¹⁹²⁰ discusses general technology capabilities without naming Mobileye as a component supplier. That specific claim is therefore unverified and is not carried forward as a finding. The biographical fact that Mobileye’s founder Prof. Amnon Shashua holds affiliations with Israeli academic institutions ¹⁸ is noted for context but does not establish a defence supply chain link between Rimac/Verne and the Israeli military sector.

Mobileye’s announced acquisition of Mentee Robotics — an Israeli humanoid robotics startup — for approximately $900 million in 2025 ²¹²² illustrates Mobileye’s expansion into physical AI and robotics. No public evidence links this acquisition to any supply relationship with Rimac Group entities or to Israeli military robotics programmes. The prior research memo notes that Israeli military forces have deployed robot dogs in Gaza ²³; no source links Mentee Robotics or Mobileye’s humanoid AI work to that programme, and no Rimac/Bugatti connection to those deployments has been identified.

TriEye SWIR Sensor Technology: Porsche Ventures, a corporate venture arm of Porsche AG, invested in TriEye, the Israeli short-wave infrared (SWIR) sensor startup ²⁴²⁵. TriEye has publicly advertised for a “Senior Director of Business Development, Defense & HLS” with a mandate targeting the IMOD, Elbit Systems, and Rafael Advanced Defense Systems ²⁶. The company’s SEDAR sensor system combines depth sensing with SWIR imaging, giving it dual-use potential ²⁷. This documents that TriEye as an independent company is actively pursuing Israeli defence contracts. However, the supply chain link to Bugatti Rimac is indirect: the relationship is (1) Porsche Ventures (a Porsche AG investment vehicle) holds an equity stake in TriEye; (2) TriEye is separately seeking defence contracts under its own commercial strategy. No public evidence has been identified that TriEye sensors are integrated into any Rimac or Bugatti vehicle platform, or that any Rimac/Bugatti procurement contract involves TriEye components ^24252627. Whether any TriEye sensor is integrated into a Rimac or Bugatti product — as opposed to Porsche Ventures simply holding an equity stake in TriEye — cannot be confirmed from public sources. Porsche has additionally established a physical presence in the Tel Aviv technology ecosystem ²⁴²⁸²⁹, which provides further context for Porsche AG’s Israeli technology investment strategy, but this activity is attributable to Porsche AG and does not constitute documented Bugatti Rimac supply chain activity.

Innoviz Technologies LiDAR: Innoviz Technologies is an Israeli LiDAR manufacturer with a confirmed supply relationship with BMW Group ³⁰³¹. The prior research memo claims Innoviz is positioned as a supplier for the Verne/Rimac platform; no primary source confirming Innoviz integration into Verne has been identified. This claim remains unverified. IAI’s previously documented development of digital technologies for future armoured fighting vehicles ³² is noted as context for the Israeli defence technology sector but has no identified connection to Innoviz’s automotive supply relationships or to the Rimac/Verne platform.

Argus Cyber Security / PlaxidityX: The prior research memo asserts that Rimac Technology has partnered with Argus Cyber Security (now rebranded as PlaxidityX, following its acquisition by Continental AG) to secure its vehicle architectures. Argus was co-founded by veterans of Israeli intelligence Unit 8200 ³³³⁴. The STMicroelectronics partner page ³³ and SAE/Mobility Engineering reporting ³⁴ document Argus/PlaxidityX as an active participant in automotive cybersecurity. However, no primary source directly confirming a Rimac Technology–Argus/PlaxidityX partnership contract has been identified in open sources reviewed; the sole citation for this claim in the prior memo is a paywalled S&P Global trade database entry that cannot be independently verified. This claim is classified as unverified and is not carried forward as a confirmed finding.

NXP Semiconductors: Rimac Technology has a publicly documented collaboration with NXP Semiconductors to develop advanced real-time zone and domain control architecture for software-defined vehicles (SDVs) ³⁵. NXP is a Netherlands-headquartered semiconductor company. No public evidence has been identified linking this collaboration to any Israeli defence application or military end-user.

Investindustrial — Logic Group Cross-Portfolio Consideration: Investindustrial, a European private equity firm, is an investor in Rimac Group ⁷³⁶ and separately holds Logic Group — an aerospace and defence avionics electronics manufacturer — in its portfolio ³⁷³⁶. Whether any technology licensing, personnel exchange, or commercial relationship exists between Logic Group and Rimac Technology has not been documented in any public source reviewed. This shared investor relationship constitutes a structural evidence gap rather than a confirmed supply chain link.

Joint Development & Co-Production: No public evidence has been identified of any joint development programme, co-production agreement, technology transfer arrangement, or licensed manufacturing agreement between Bugatti/Rimac Group and any Israeli defence prime contractor.

Logistical Sustainment & Base Services

Service Contracts to Military Installations: No public evidence has been identified of any contract between Bugatti, Bugatti Rimac, or any Rimac Group entity to provide catering, transport, fuel supply, facilities management, telecommunications, or other support services to IDF bases, military training facilities, detention centres, or Israeli security installations.

Energy Storage — Rimac Energy: Rimac Energy develops stationary energy storage systems derived from Rimac Group’s battery technology ⁶. These products are documented for civilian grid-support and energy management applications. No public evidence has been identified of any Rimac Energy supply agreement with Israeli military installations or defence-adjacent energy infrastructure.

Shipping, Freight & Port Services: No public evidence has been identified of any shipping, freight forwarding, or port handling contract between Bugatti/Rimac Group and Israeli defence logistics or military cargo operations.

Munitions, Weapons Systems & Strategic Platforms

Lethal Systems Manufacturing: No public evidence has been identified of any role by Bugatti, Bugatti Rimac, or any Rimac Group entity as a prime contractor or licensed manufacturer of small arms, artillery systems, armoured fighting vehicles, tactical unmanned aerial vehicles, naval vessels, or other lethal platforms for any customer, including Israeli forces.

Munitions & Precursor Materials: No public evidence has been identified of any supply of ammunition, explosive ordnance, chemical propellants, warhead components, or munitions precursor materials by any Bugatti/Rimac Group entity to any defence end-user.

Strategic & Existential Defence Systems: No public evidence has been identified of any role by Bugatti/Rimac Group in the manufacture, integration, maintenance, or supply of components for systems including Iron Dome, David’s Sling, Arrow ballistic missile defence, fighter aircraft, main battle tanks, warships, or intercontinental ballistic missile systems. The Globes reporting on the Merkava Barak tank ¹⁹ and the IDF’s Eitan wheeled APC ²⁰ is reviewed; neither article identifies any Bugatti or Rimac Group entity as a supplier or sub-system contributor to those platforms.

Sub-System & Critical Component Supply: No public evidence has been identified of any supply of guidance electronics, fire-control systems, radar components, propulsion units for military platforms, or warhead casings by any Bugatti/Rimac Group entity to any defence end-user.

Export Licensing, Regulatory & Legal History

Export Licence Decisions: No public evidence has been identified of any government decision to grant, deny, suspend, or revoke export licences for Bugatti or Rimac Group products to Israeli military or security end-users in any jurisdiction ¹⁰. Source classes checked include: UK Export Control Joint Unit published refusals and approvals, Croatian Ministry of Economy export licensing reports, and German Federal Office of Economics and Export Control (BAFA) annual reports. Croatia’s export control licensing decisions are not comprehensively published in English-language open sources, constituting a structural evidence gap in this section.

Arms Embargo & Sanctions Compliance: No public evidence has been identified of any investigation, citation, or enforcement action related to Bugatti or Rimac Group’s compliance with arms embargoes, export control regimes, or sanctions relevant to defence trade with Israel ¹⁰.

DIMSE Database: The DIMSE database ¹⁰ (Database of Israeli Military and Security Exports) covers UK-licensed export activity. No entry for Bugatti, Bugatti Rimac, or any Rimac Group entity has been identified in publicly accessible portions of this database.

Legal Challenges & Judicial Review: No public evidence has been identified of any court proceedings, judicial reviews, or legal challenges brought against Bugatti, Bugatti Rimac, or any Rimac Group entity regarding defence supply relationships with Israel or related export control matters.

Civil Society Scrutiny & Documented Investigations

NGO Databases & Research Centre Reports: The Who Profits Research Centre database ⁹ contains an entry for the Volkswagen Group documenting vehicle supply to the IMOD and MAN chassis supply for armoured riot control vehicles. The entry does not name Bugatti Rimac d.o.o. or any Rimac Group entity as a subject of investigation. The connection to Bugatti Rimac runs through Porsche AG’s 45% ownership stake ¹⁸, but the Who Profits finding is explicitly attributed to VW Group-level activity and does not extend to Bugatti Rimac’s operations ⁹.

The DIMSE database ¹⁰ covers UK-licensed exports of Israeli military and security technology. No entry for Bugatti, Bugatti Rimac, or Rimac Group has been identified in the publicly accessible portions of this database.

No dedicated investigation of Bugatti, Bugatti Rimac, or Rimac Group by Amnesty International, Human Rights Watch, the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC), Corporate Occupation, or academic researchers has been identified in public records through April 2026.

Boycott, Divestment & Exclusion Campaigns: No public evidence has been identified of any organised boycott, divestment, or institutional exclusion campaign specifically targeting Bugatti, Bugatti Rimac, or Rimac Group on grounds related to defence sector activities or Israeli military or occupation linkages. Source classes checked include: BDS Movement official campaign lists, AFSC Investigate database, and Who Profits current investigations ⁹.

Corporate Response & Policy Statements: No public evidence has been identified of any public statement, policy change, contract termination, or end-use monitoring commitment by Bugatti/Rimac Group in response to civil society pressure regarding a defence supply chain. This is consistent with the absence of any documented civil society campaign specifically targeting these entities.

Contextual Note — Broader Ecosystem Civil Society Activity: Civil society documentation of Israeli defence supply chains involving companies within the broader Volkswagen Group ecosystem ⁹ and the Israeli technology sector represented by Mobileye ¹⁶²¹²², TriEye ²⁵²⁶²⁷, and Innoviz ³⁰³¹ exists, but in none of these instances does the documented civil society concern extend to Bugatti Rimac or Rimac Group entities as named subjects.

End Notes