Waymo Launches Public Paid Rides With Ojai Robotaxi

Waymo has begun offering paid rides to the general public in its new Ojai robotaxi, a Chinese-made electric minivan, in San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix. The move marks the commercial launch of the vehicle, which had been available only through a limited free trial since May 28, and signals a major step in the Alphabet-owned company's strategy to scale its autonomous ride-hailing service.

The Ojai is manufactured in China by Zeekr, a premium electric vehicle brand owned by Geely Holding Group. While U.S. tariffs and regulations effectively block Chinese-made electric vehicles from being sold to American consumers, Waymo is importing them by the thousands for its robotaxi fleet. The company has brought more than 3,200 Zeekr vehicles into the country through the Port of Los Angeles since 2024, with over 2,600 arriving in 2026 alone, according to reports. Waymo pays a tariff of approximately 127.5% on these imports, but the base vehicle's low cost makes the economics viable.

To comply with U.S. regulations, including an incoming federal rule banning certain Chinese-connected vehicle hardware, the Ojai vans arrive stripped of their original connectivity systems. Waymo then...