Uber has announced a $300 million partnership with Lucid Motors and Nuro to deploy over 20,000 robotaxis on its ride-hailing platform in the next six years.
Why it matters: This collaboration brings together Lucid’s advanced EV technology, Nuro’s Level 4 autonomous driving system, and Uber’s global network to create a purpose-built robotaxi service that could revolutionize urban mobility.
The details:
- The first robotaxi prototype is being tested at Nuro’s Las Vegas proving grounds.
- The service is expected to launch next year in a major U.S. city.
- Lucid’s Gravity SUV, with its 450-mile range, will be used in the project to minimize downtime for charging and maximize vehicle availability.
- Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi highlighted the transformative potential of autonomous vehicles to “safely bring the magic of autonomous driving to more people across the world.”
The partnership is a significant opportunity for Lucid to gain legitimacy, scale, and market exposure in the EV and AV sectors. However, former Ford CEO Mark Fields raised concerns about the economic feasibility of the project, given the high costs of the vehicles and additional self-driving hardware.
What they’re saying:
- “This investment from Uber further validates Lucid’s fully redundant zonal architecture and highly capable platform as ideal for autonomous vehicles, and our industry-leading range and spacious interiors as perfect for ridesharing.” – Marc Winterhoff, Interim CEO at Lucid
- “By combining our self-driving technology with Lucid’s advanced vehicle architecture and Uber’s global platform, we’re proud to enable a robotaxi service designed to reach millions of people around the world.” – Jiajun Zhu, Co-Founder and CEO at Nuro
The big picture: This partnership signals a significant milestone for the autonomous vehicle industry, with the potential to spur more momentum and competition among companies like Waymo and Amazon’s Zoox.
What’s next: The companies aim to demonstrate the potential of combining autonomous driving technology with advanced vehicle platforms and global ridesharing services, setting a new benchmark in the industry. Lucid stock surged 36% on the day of the announcement, while Uber shares remained flat.
Recent from X
Nevada is pioneering autonomous transportation through this
collaboration of @Nuro, @LucidMotors, and @Uber.This partnership aims for safer roads, smarter infrastructure, and new economic opportunities for Nevadans. https://t.co/d42IpQmP7V
— Governor Joe Lombardo (@JosephMLombardo) July 17, 2025
Uber to buy 20,000 self-driving taxis
Uber is to start rolling out self-driving taxis next year after striking a deal to take a $300m (£224m) stake in a US electric vehicle maker. @j_a_warrington https://t.co/Vo2jnjU532 pic.twitter.com/uxjtuEIPGr
— ECIU (@ECIU_UK) July 19, 2025
Yesterday Uber announced a $300 million partnership to deploy more than 20,000 robotaxis over the next six years as demand for driverless cars kicks into high gear.https://t.co/G7K8g4rxdK
— Andy O'Donoghue (@ADODonoghue) July 18, 2025