Waymo is importing thousands of Chinese-built electric vans to power its U.S. robotaxi fleet, sidestepping tariff barriers that would make the vehicles prohibitively expensive for regular consumers. Since 2024, more than 3,200 Zeekr CM1e units have arrived at the Port of Los Angeles, with over 2,600 imported so far in 2026, according to trade data analyzed by research firm ImportGenius. The vehicles, rebranded as the Waymo Ojai, are now operating in 11 U.S. cities and represent a critical part of Alphabet's strategy to scale its robotaxi service to 1 million rides per week by year-end.

How Is Waymo Overcoming the Tariff Problem?

The economics seem impossible on paper. A Zeekr CM1e costs roughly $39,000 in China, but U.S. tariffs of 127.5% on Chinese-built electric vehicles would push the import cost to nearly $89,000 before Waymo even installs its autonomous driving hardware. Yet the company is importing them at an estimated rate of 300 units per month, according to analyst estimates from MoffettNathanson. The key lies in Waymo's unique position and strategic choices:

• Stripped-down imports: Zeekr vehicles arrive in the U.S. without any sensors, computing systems, or software that could trigger security restrictions on Chinese technology. Waymo then installs all autonomous driving technology at its manufacturing facility in Mesa, Arizona, ensuring compliance with U.S. national security laws.
• Bulk purchasing power: Industry analysts believe Waymo is negotiating a steep discount from Zeekr, which is owned by China's Geely Auto. Tu Le, managing director of consultancy Sino Auto Insights, suggested that Waymo is "getting it super cheap from Zeekr at a big discount" because the company has invested heavily in customizing its autonomous system specifically for the Ojai platform.
• Sunk costs in design: Waymo announced the Zeekr partnership in late 2021, years before the 100% tariff on Chinese EVs took effect. Rather than scrap six years of hardware and software development tailored to the Ojai, the company chose to absorb the tariff costs as part of its long-term fleet strategy.

Why Does This Matter for Waymo's Business?

The Ojai is becoming central to Waymo's growth plans. The vehicle offers practical advantages over Waymo's previous primary fleet vehicle, the Jaguar I-PACE, which has been discontinued. The Ojai features sliding doors on both sides, a flat floor, and a roomier passenger cabin that makes boarding easier. It also uses Waymo's 6th-generation autonomous hardware, which delivers improved vision and computing power at 50% less cost than the 5th-generation system used in the I-PACE.

Waymo currently operates more than 500,000 paid rides per week and is targeting 1 million weekly rides by year-end. If the company hits that target, annual revenue in 2027 could exceed $1 billion based on an estimated average fare of $20 per ride, far outpacing any U.S. competitor. To achieve that scale, Waymo needs substantially more vehicles. The 3,200-plus Zeekrs already imported represent a dramatic expansion from the roughly 3,900 total vehicles in its fleet as of July 2026.

Last week, Waymo also announced it is integrating Google's Gemini artificial intelligence chatbot into the Ojai fleet, activated via rear-seat screens. Riders can use voice commands to control cabin temperature, request information about neighborhoods, or ask the vehicle to pull over. This integration mirrors competitive moves by other autonomous vehicle companies and signals Waymo's effort to enhance the passenger experience as it scales.

What Does This Mean for the Broader Robotaxi Market?

Waymo's Ojai strategy reveals a counterintuitive reality: while U.S. tariffs have successfully blocked Chinese EVs from consumer dealerships, they have not stopped major autonomous vehicle operators from importing them for commercial fleets. The company's ability to absorb tariff costs reflects its substantial financial resources; Waymo has raised more than $20 billion since its inception as the Google Self-Driving Car Project in 2009.

However, the tariff burden does complicate Waymo's path to profitability. The company must eventually lower per-vehicle costs to achieve sustainable margins on robotaxi rides. Analyst Michael Morton of MoffettNathanson noted that the market had largely dismissed the Ojai as a "dead-end" due to tariffs, but the import data revealed otherwise.

"The market assumes Waymo's future with the Ojai is a dead-end due to tariffs on Chinese auto imports; so did we. To be frank, we were surprised by what we found," stated Michael Morton, research analyst with MoffettNathanson.

Michael Morton, Research Analyst at MoffettNathanson

Waymo is also preparing to add modified versions of Hyundai Motor's Ioniq 5 electric hatchback, built at the automaker's Georgia plant, to diversify its fleet beyond the Ojai. This move hedges against over-reliance on Chinese imports and provides a domestic manufacturing alternative as the company expands.

Meanwhile, competitors are pursuing different strategies. Amazon's Zoox recently received federal regulatory approval to operate its purpose-built robotaxis, which lack steering wheels, pedals, and mirrors, in Las Vegas with plans to expand to San Francisco, Los Angeles, and other cities. Uber, Lucid Motors, and autonomous vehicle company Nuro are testing the Lucid Gravity robotaxi, a luxury vehicle that can seat up to six passengers, with a public launch planned for the San Francisco Bay Area later in 2026 and Houston in mid-2027. The Lucid Gravity's larger capacity and premium positioning represent a different market segment than Waymo's Ojai, which emphasizes affordability and operational efficiency.

Waymo declined to confirm the exact number of Zeekrs it has imported or the price it is paying per vehicle. Company spokesman Chris Bonelli stated that Waymo is "serving early access riders across SF, LA and Phoenix with over 300 Ojais" and has "ambitious plans to serve dozens more" cities. The company's reluctance to disclose details suggests it views the tariff situation as commercially sensitive, particularly as it negotiates with suppliers and manages investor expectations about fleet expansion costs.