Photo: Hyundai
Last year, Waymo retired its Chrysler Pacifica PHEV fleet and went all in with the battery-powered Jaguar I-Pace. Since then, the all-electric Jaguars with huge sensor arrays on the hood have become iconic for San Francisco and other cities where Waymo operates. However, since Jaguar will discontinue the I-Pace and the China EV tariffs made Zeekr driverless pods impractical, Waymo partnered with Hyundai to equip its Ioniq 5 EVs with autonomous driving tech.
Tesla is working feverishly to bring autonomous vehicles onto the market, and its upcoming robotaxi event suggests that it might have succeeded. However, in the real world, Tesla hasn't even requested a permit to test driverless vehicles, which shows that it's still not confident enough to start public testing. The location of the upcoming event at Warner Bros. Studios is also telling. It might be the perfect controlled environment for robotaxi test rides, but it's not a public road.
With Tesla FSD still slow to progress, the autonomous driving race might have an unlikely winner: Hyundai. The Korean carmaker has partnered with Waymo to supply Ioniq 5 robotaxis starting next year. Although this doesn't make the electric crossover autonomous, as it hasn't made the Jaguar I-Pace before, it's yet another EV model that would start robotaxi operations before Tesla EVs do.
The partnership will allow Waymo to install its sixth-generation autonomous driving tech on Hyundai's Ioniq 5 EVs. This was thought to arrive on the roads with the driverless pods supplied by Zeekr, but it turns out that the Hyundai Ioniq 5 might get it first. The deal might have been precipitated after the Biden administration announced 100% tariffs on Chinese EV imports, making importing Zeekr driverless pods impractical.
Hyundai will produce the Ioniq 5s for Waymo at its new Metaplant America factory in Bryan County, Georgia. However, they will be upfitted with autonomous-driving systems and sensors at a separate facility. The Ioniq 5 produced for Waymo will also get specific modifications, including power doors. The partnership doesn't specify the number of vehicles Hyundai will provide for Waymo's autonomous driving fleet. However, it's a "significant volume," as the two companies confirmed on October 4.
Waymo said the partnership with Geely would continue despite the China tariff setback. The current fleet of Jaguar I-Pace EVs will also remain in operation for the foreseeable future. However, as Jaguar announced killing the I-Pace in December, Waymo had to look for a replacement. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, with its 800-volt architecture and very short charging times, turns out to be the perfect choice.
Waymo currently operates about 650 robotaxis but plans to expand aggressively to Atlanta, Austin, and other cities. Thus, it will need a lot more electric vehicles in the coming years. The initial testing of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 robotaxis is expected to start in late 2025, with commercial service planned in the years beyond.
With Tesla FSD still slow to progress, the autonomous driving race might have an unlikely winner: Hyundai. The Korean carmaker has partnered with Waymo to supply Ioniq 5 robotaxis starting next year. Although this doesn't make the electric crossover autonomous, as it hasn't made the Jaguar I-Pace before, it's yet another EV model that would start robotaxi operations before Tesla EVs do.
The partnership will allow Waymo to install its sixth-generation autonomous driving tech on Hyundai's Ioniq 5 EVs. This was thought to arrive on the roads with the driverless pods supplied by Zeekr, but it turns out that the Hyundai Ioniq 5 might get it first. The deal might have been precipitated after the Biden administration announced 100% tariffs on Chinese EV imports, making importing Zeekr driverless pods impractical.
Hyundai will produce the Ioniq 5s for Waymo at its new Metaplant America factory in Bryan County, Georgia. However, they will be upfitted with autonomous-driving systems and sensors at a separate facility. The Ioniq 5 produced for Waymo will also get specific modifications, including power doors. The partnership doesn't specify the number of vehicles Hyundai will provide for Waymo's autonomous driving fleet. However, it's a "significant volume," as the two companies confirmed on October 4.
Waymo said the partnership with Geely would continue despite the China tariff setback. The current fleet of Jaguar I-Pace EVs will also remain in operation for the foreseeable future. However, as Jaguar announced killing the I-Pace in December, Waymo had to look for a replacement. The Hyundai Ioniq 5, with its 800-volt architecture and very short charging times, turns out to be the perfect choice.
Waymo currently operates about 650 robotaxis but plans to expand aggressively to Atlanta, Austin, and other cities. Thus, it will need a lot more electric vehicles in the coming years. The initial testing of the Hyundai Ioniq 5 robotaxis is expected to start in late 2025, with commercial service planned in the years beyond.
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