Waymo is adding the Hyundai Ioniq 5 to its robotaxi fleet

Waymo has its sights acceptable connected its adjacent robotaxi: the Hyundai Ioniq 5.

The Alphabet institution announced that it was entering a “multi-year, strategic” concern with the Hyundai Motor Group that volition effect successful the Ioniq 5 yet joining its robotaxi fleet.

But first, the Ioniq 5 volition request to acquisition on-road investigating with Waymo’s self-driving technology, which the institution says volition statesman successful precocious 2025. Waymo wouldn’t specify erstwhile the Ioniq 5 volition beryllium utilized for rider trips, but to accidental it would beryllium “years” later.

Vehicles intended for Waymo’s fleet volition beryllium manufactured astatine Hyundai’s $7.6 cardinal Metaplant mill successful Georgia, which is nearing the extremity of its construction. The companies person agreed to nutrient a fig of Waymo-equipped electrical Hyundais determination “in important measurement implicit aggregate years,” Waymo said successful its property release.

With robotaxis, 1 of the astir important metrics is uptime, oregon the magnitude of clip it’s connected the roadworthy ferrying passengers. Time spent plugged into a charger is clip not making money. The Ioniq 5 is an electrical crossover SUV with a small implicit 300 miles of scope and an 800-volt architecture that enhances its charging speed. When plugged into a 350kW accelerated charger, Hyundai says the Ioniq 5 tin complaint from 10–80 percent successful conscionable 18 minutes, depending connected the conditions. Waymo surely saw those charging speeds arsenic a payment to its inactive unprofitable business.

The Ioniq 5 has received favorable reviews since it was released successful precocious 2021, successful summation to raking successful galore awards. Today, it’s 1 of the bestselling EVs connected the market, with 30,000 sold successful the US this twelvemonth alone. Its popularity has helped Hyundai, on with its sister institution Kia, overtake Ford and GM arsenic the No. 2 seller of EVs successful the US down Tesla.

Recent reporting from South Korea previewed today’s concern news, with sources telling Electronic Times that the 2 companies met galore times astatine Waymo’s office successful California to sermon “contract manufacturing of robotaxis.” Sources besides told the work that Waymo was looking for a “replacement” for its Zeekr vehicles due to the fact that of costly caller tariffs.

But Waymo pushed backmost against this study and reiterated its volition to yet deploy Zeekr. “The IONIQ 5 volition not straight regenerate immoderate of our conveyance platforms, but it volition assistance america hole for further standard and maturation opportunities,” Waymo spokesperson Christopher Bonelli said successful an email. Waymo is “hard astatine work” validating the sixth mentation of its self-driving exertion successful the Zeekr vehicle, helium added.

Tellingly, Waymo isn’t saying however galore Ioniq 5s it plans to bargain from Hyundai, successful opposition to its attack to erstwhile conveyance announcements. Some of this could beryllium attributable to the information that Waymo has grown much cautious astir overly optimistic predictions aft critics panned the AV manufacture for mounting unrealistic deadlines.

This won’t beryllium the Ioniq 5’s archetypal self-driving rodeo. The conveyance besides serves arsenic a level for Motional, which is Hyundai’s robotaxi subsidiary, arsenic good arsenic Avride, which utilized to beryllium Yandex’s self-driving group.

But Waymo’s concern is significantly, well, busier than those firms. The institution precocious celebrated a important milestone: 100,000 paid trips a week.