Waymo to replace aging robotaxi fleet with new Hyundai Ioniq 5 to cover 12 American cities by 2026
Published on Nov 17, 2025 at 3:58 AM (UTC+4)
by Claire Reid
Last updated on Nov 17, 2025 at 5:15 PM (UTC+4)
Edited by
Kate Bain
Waymo has begun road-testing the Hyundai Ioniq 5 as the driverless car company gears up to introduce the EV into its fleet.
Last year, Waymo announced a ‘multi-year strategic partnership’ with Hyundai, which would see the Ioniq 5 joining its autonomous fleet.
The partnership involves the two companies producing a fleet of Hyundai Ioniq 5 EVs equipped with Waymo technology.
In an update, Hyundai has now revealed that road-testing of the cars is currently underway in San Francisco.
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Waymo has begun road-testing the Hyundai Ioniq 5
It’s been a strong year for Waymo.
The autonomous taxi company has launched into several new cities as well as expanded its service area in existing ones.
And it shows no signs of slowing down, with the company officially kicking off road-testing of the Ioniq 5, which is equipped with its sixth-generation autonomous driving technology.
Waymo currently uses Jaguar I-Pace vehicles, which were brought in to replace the autonomous Chrysler Pacifica the driverless taxi company launched with.
Now, with the I-Pace discontinued, Waymo is gearing up to introduce its new autonomous vehicles.
Last October, Waymo said the fleet of Hyundai Ioniq 5 EVs would be assembled at the new Hyundai Motor Group Metaplant America EV manufacturing facility in Georgia before being kitted out with its autonomous technology, which includes 13 cameras, six radars, four lidar sensors, and microphones.
A press release from the time said the EVs will be made at ‘significant volume over multiple years’ to help support the company’s impressive growth.
“We are thrilled to partner with Hyundai as we further our mission to be the world’s most trusted driver,” Waymo co-CEO Tekedra Mawakana said.
“Hyundai’s focus on sustainability and strong electric vehicle roadmap makes them a great partner for us as we bring our fully autonomous service to more riders in more places.”
The autonomous taxi company is gearing up to launch in more cities
Its new fleet will be there to help Waymo as it expands into even more cities in the US.
The autonomous taxi company said it aims to be in at least 12 cities in the States by the end of 2026.
It plans to launch in Las Vegas, Detroit, and San Diego to start with.
The company has also announced it will be coming to the UK for the first time, with its driverless taxis set to hit London soon.
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With a background in both local and national press in the UK, Claire moved to New Zealand before joining the editorial team at Supercar Blondie in May 2024. As a Senior Content Writer working on New Zealand Standard Time (NZST), Claire was the first writer on the team to make the site’s output a slick 24/7 operation covering the latest in automotive news.
