Waymo to Add 50,000 Hyundai Ioniq 5 EVs by 2028 as Tariffs Squeeze Zeekr Plans
Updated
Updated · Computerworld · Jun 5
Waymo to Add 50,000 Hyundai Ioniq 5 EVs by 2028 as Tariffs Squeeze Zeekr Plans
1 articles · Updated · Computerworld · Jun 5
Summary
Waymo plans to add 50,000 Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric vehicles to its robotaxi fleet by 2028, sharply expanding beyond its current Jaguar I-PACE base.
The Hyundai push reflects U.S. tariff and political pressure on Chinese-linked vehicles, which complicates broader deployment of Waymo’s purpose-built Zeekr Ojai robotaxi despite its lower-cost, rider-focused design.
Waymo will retrofit the Ioniq 5s with its sixth-generation Driver at its Mesa, Arizona, facility, the same site used to integrate autonomy hardware into other fleet vehicles.
The move comes as Waymo operates in 11 U.S. cities and prepares wider expansion, while seeking cheaper, more scalable vehicles for a business that analysts estimate still loses money on many rides.