Croatian Prime Minister Jadranka Kosor on Monday presented an award for "concept development" for the first Croatian car, an electric vehicle called the XD, the Croatian news agency Hina reported.

Kosor said the vehicle was an important national project that would be actively supported by her government. Sani Ljubuncic, director of the Agency for Export and Investment Promotion, said the designers, DOK-ING, deserved recognition for the car's "high export and investment potential."

The XD debuted at the Geneva Auto Show in March this year. The prototype was developed by DOK-ING by transferring knowledge and experience from the design of its electric mining and firefighting machinery.

A compact vehicle seating three adults, the XD weighs about 1, 100 kilograms, and accelerates from 0 to 100 km/hr in less than eight seconds.