Zeekr Ojai Robotaxi Launches in 14 U.S. Cities as Waymo Accelerates Commercial Deployment

Waymo officially launched fully driverless ride-hailing services in Denver, San Diego, and Tampa on September 1, expanding its U.S. operational footprint to 14 cities. In Denver and San Diego, all vehicles deployed in the initial rollout are the Zeekr-built Ojai model — internally codenamed CM1e and previously referred to as the Zeekr RT — marking Waymo's accelerated transition from the Jaguar I-Pace platform to a next-generation, purpose-built robotaxi.

Manufactured in Ningbo, China, the Ojai is exported to the U.S. as a 'rolling glider' and undergoes autonomous system integration in Mesa, Arizona. The vehicle is built on a dedicated battery-electric platform supplied by Zeekr, based on the GEELY SEA-M architecture. Waymo develops the autonomous driving software, hardware, sensors, and computing units, while Magna handles downstream system integration. The Ojai features redundant steer-by-wire and brake-by-wire systems, a rear-mounted permanent-magnet synchronous motor delivering up to 200 kW (268 hp) and peak torque of 342 N·m, and a liquid-cooled 93 kWh (gross capacity) battery pack.

To cope with Denver's high-altitude, low-temperature conditions, the Ojai integrates Waymo's sixth-generation Driver system: four lidar units, six millimeter-wave radars, and 13 external cameras — all equipped with 17-megapixel image sensors — as well as heated sensor housings and ten miniature windshield wipers (each under 76 mm long), specifically designed to clear snow, ice, and mud. At 4,640 mm long with a 3,000 mm wheelbase, the vehicle adopts a B-pillar–less, opposing-door configuration and a 2+3 seating layout. With no driver seat, it accommodates up to four passengers.

According to customs and logistics records, over 3,200 CM1e chassis had entered the U.S. via the Port of Los Angeles by the end of August 2026 — including approximately 2,600 units arriving in the first eight months of 2026. Roughly 300 Ojai units are currently in commercial passenger service nationwide, while nearly 2,900 remain at the Mesa facility undergoing integration, calibration, storage, or standby preparation. Waymo's total U.S. commercial autonomous fleet — including both I-Pace and Ojai vehicles — now exceeds 4,000 units, completing over 500,000 fully driverless trips per week. The company aims to reach one million such trips weekly by year-end 2026.

Notably, the Ojai is classified for import as an 'incomplete mechanical chassis,' with a declared base value of approximately $38,000–$39,000 per unit. Factoring in standard tariffs, Section 301 additional duties targeting Chinese BEVs, and other customs-related fees, the aggregate import cost rate ranges from 102.5% to 127.5%, yielding an estimated landed cost of $78,000–$86,500 per unit. After Waymo installs its autonomous driving suite, final vehicle cost rises to roughly $103,000–$110,000 — significantly lower than the ~$200,000 cost historically associated with modified Jaguar I-Pace robotaxis. These figures represent industry estimates only; Waymo has not disclosed actual procurement pricing.