Waymo Expands Autonomous Fleet with 2,000 New Robotaxis by 2026

Waymo, a subsidiary of Alphabet, is set to significantly expand its fleet of autonomous vehicles, planning to add 2,000 new robotaxis by 2026. Currently, the company operates a fleet of 1,500 vehicles and offers over 250,000 paid rides weekly across cities such as Phoenix, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Austin. In a recent blog post, Waymo announced its intentions to introduce fully autonomous ride-hailing services in Atlanta, Miami, and Washington, D.C. by 2026.

To support this growth, Waymo is collaborating with Magna, a Canadian-Austrian automotive supplier, to establish a new manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona, which is part of the Phoenix metropolitan area. This factory will enable the production of thousands of Jaguar I-PACE vehicles, which are equipped with the company's fully autonomous technology. The Jaguar I-PACE has been the primary vehicle used by Waymo since the retirement of its Chrysler Pacifica minivans in 2023.

According to Waymo, the new facility spans approximately 22,000 square meters and is designed to enhance cost efficiency, flexibility, and production capacity. Ryan McNamara, Waymo's Vice President of Operations, highlighted that this factory is central to their future growth plans. The facility will allow for the integration of the sixth generation of the Waymo Driver into various vehicle platforms, starting with the Zeekr RT model, developed in collaboration with Geely, a major Chinese automotive manufacturer.

The Zeekr RT, which is based on Geely's all-electric five-door vehicle, will be imported to Arizona, where it will undergo modifications to include the necessary hardware and software for autonomous driving. Initial test vehicles have already arrived in the U.S., and production at the Waymo facility is anticipated to reach tens of thousands of autonomous vehicles annually. Remarkably, vehicles assigned to Waymo's Phoenix fleet could begin transporting passengers less than 30 minutes after leaving the factory.

Waymo's announcement regarding its fleet expansion comes at a time when several other companies are also entering the autonomous taxi market. Recently, Volkswagen revealed plans to launch self-driving cars in partnership with Uber in the U.S. starting in 2026. Tesla's CEO Elon Musk has also indicated that Tesla plans to initiate its own robotaxi service in Austin, Texas, with a limited fleet of Model Y vehicles by late June.