Lucid, Uber, Nuro Launch Global Robotaxi Program, Uber Commits 20,000 EVs

Lucid Group, Uber Technologies, and autonomous vehicle startup Nuro have announced a landmark partnership to launch a fully autonomous, premium ride-hailing fleet featuring Lucid's upcoming Gravity SUV equipped with Nuro's Level 4 autonomous driving system. Uber plans to deploy at least 20,000 of these robotaxis over six years, with commercial operations expected to begin in a major U.S. city in 2026. Uber has invested $300 million in Lucid and made a multi-hundred-million dollar investment in Nuro, making it one of Lucid's largest shareholders and deepening strategic ties, including connections to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The partnership positions Lucid and Uber as new contenders in the robotaxi market, competing with established players like Waymo and Tesla, and aims to offer a luxury self-driving ride-hail alternative. While the deal is seen as a major opportunity for Lucid to prove its EV technology in commercial fleets, analysts have expressed concerns about execution risks and the ability of Lucid to scale production to meet Uber’s ambitious goals. The robotaxi prototype is already operating autonomously on a closed circuit in Las Vegas as part of ongoing testing.