Waymo is preparing a major jump in the size of its robotaxi fleet. According to reporting by Semafor, the self-driving car company aims to reach 8,000 vehicles by the end of this year, up from around 4,000 today, and to hit 20,000 by the end of 2027.
The expansion follows a $5 billion debt raise completed this month, which Waymo says will support growth both in the United States and internationally. Waymo declined to comment on the fleet targets.
Waymo fleet expansion targets
The numbers show how quickly Waymo intends to scale its autonomous ride-hailing service, which today operates in 15 US cities. The company is also bringing rides to locations such as Toronto, its first expansion outside the United States.
To support the rollout, Waymo recently opened a facility in Nashville in partnership with Lyft to charge, clean and maintain its cars. The New York Post reported that the company has already ordered thousands of vehicles from China, and Waymo has rebranded versions of a vehicle made by Zeekr, a unit of Geely Holding Group.
- Current fleet: about 4,000 vehicles
- Target by end of this year: 8,000 vehicles
- Target by end of 2027: 20,000 vehicles
- Debt raised this month: $5 billion from private credit lenders
- No guarantee from Alphabet, Waymo's parent company
