As Waymo continues its aggressive expansion plan, company sources say the Waymo fleet will grow by as much as four times by the end of next year.
Sources who shared the numbers with Semafor said Waymo plans to double its robotaxi fleet to 8,000 vehicles by the end of 2026, then add another 12,000 in 2027. That would bring its fleet to 20,000 robotaxis, five times its current size.
The sources did not confirm which vehicles the company is using to expand the fleet so quickly. However, Waymo has partnered with Zeekr to supply the vehicles it needs from its Chinese-based factories, moving on from its relationship with Jaguar and the I-Pace, which has been discontinued.
Waymo plans to import thousands of the Ojai vehicles and outfit them at its Arizona-based facility with Waymo sensors and self-driving software.
The expansion is not a huge surprise, as the company recently borrowed $5 billion to expand its fleet and the cities where it currently operates. This loan, combined with the $16 billion equity investment made earlier this year, will allow the company to scale globally while providing additional financial flexibility.
We have already seen several city launches by the brand, including an expansion into Canada, and the company plans to launch robotaxi services in the City of Toronto in 2028.
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