Hyundai Plans Tens of Thousands of Ioniq 5 Robotaxis

Estimated reading time: 5 minutes · Last updated: 20 September 2026

Hyundai Motor Company CEO José Muñoz says the automaker will build “tens of thousands” of Ioniq 5 robotaxis for Waymo and treat robotaxi production as a separate, profitable business unit. As first reported by InsideEVs’ Tim Levin, Muñoz told reporters in San Jose that Hyundai adjusted output at its Georgia plant to shift some capacity toward robotaxi and hybrid production and that the first Ioniq 5 vehicles intended for more than testing will go to Waymo in the fourth quarter. Waymo currently operates roughly 4,000 vehicles across 14 U.S. cities, giving Hyundai a clear existing buyer to scale against.

So it's becoming a business unit on itself,

José Muñoz, Hyundai Motor Company CEO

Why Hyundai is shifting factory capacity to robotaxis

Hyundai faced a softer-than-expected retail EV market and a retreat in some pro-EV policies that reduced consumer demand. José Muñoz told reporters the company responded by reallocating capacity at its Savannah, Georgia plant to produce more hybrids and to pursue new commercial customers for EVs, with robotaxis the top opportunity he identified.

Muñoz framed the change as a strategic use of existing assets rather than a write-down. He said competitors “decided to write down their assets; we decided to make the most out of our assets,” and that factory output can be repurposed to supply fleets rather than rely solely on retail buyers. That shift reduces Hyundai’s exposure to retail EV cycles and targets fleet agreements that buy at scale.

The Waymo deal and what Hyundai will supply

Hyundai signed a vehicle-supply agreement with Waymo in 2024 and now plans to produce Ioniq 5 models equipped from the factory for autonomous operation. Muñoz said the Ioniq 5 robotaxis going to Waymo will use Waymo’s sixth-generation driving hardware; unlike some partners that retrofit vehicles after assembly, Hyundai will install the necessary features at the Georgia plant.

The company said it will deliver the first Ioniq 5 robotaxis meant for more than testing in the fourth quarter. That timeline places initial vehicle handovers into operation windows where Waymo already runs a roughly 4,000-vehicle fleet across 14 U.S. cities, allowing Hyundai-built Ioniq 5s to be integrated into existing routes and operations rather than starting a standalone pilot.

How robotaxi contracts are reshaping EV volume for OEMs

Robotaxi and shared-mobility partnerships have become an important source of EV volumes while retail demand softens. Company announcements show several large commitments: Rivian agreed to provide up to 50,000 R2 crossovers to Uber; Lucid committed at least 35,000 vehicles through arrangements with Uber and Nuro and also agreed to supply at least 25,000 vehicles to Bolt in Europe; and Stellantis will provide EVs to Uber under its own program.

Those deals show two dynamics that matter to Hyundai. First, fleet contracts are measured in the tens of thousands, which can absorb significant factory output. Second, OEMs delivering vehicles purpose-built or factory-equipped for autonomy remove a retrofit step and can offer unit economics tailored to continuous fleet use—something Muñoz highlighted when he called the robotaxi line a business unit on its own.

Business implications and near-term outlook

Muñoz said Hyundai’s robotaxi manufacturing is profitable today, which matters because fleet contracts can be long-term and predictable revenue streams compared with volatile retail sales. Profitability at scale would let Hyundai amortise tooling and production changes across high unit counts, and it reduces reliance on retail incentives or regulation-driven demand.

At the same time, Muñoz reported “a lot of interest” from other potential customers beyond Waymo, suggesting Hyundai may seek multiple fleet agreements. Any expansion will depend on demand from robotaxi operators and on operators’ decisions about which platforms and hardware stacks to adopt, so Hyundai’s ability to turn interest into signed, large-volume contracts will determine whether robotaxis become a sustained revenue pillar.

Outlook: the case for scale and where it could stall

The bottom line

Hyundai is explicitly repositioning part of its EV output toward robotaxi customers, with José Muñoz describing production for Waymo as a potentially standalone, profitable business unit and promising “tens of thousands” of Ioniq 5 robotaxis from the Georgia plant. The first vehicles destined for more than testing are slated for the fourth quarter, and Hyundai sees interest from other fleet operators. Whether that interest converts into additional multi‑ten‑thousand‑unit contracts will determine how much robotaxi production can offset softer retail EV demand and how material the new unit becomes to Hyundai’s overall volume and margins.

What to watch

• Watch for Hyundai's first commercial handovers of Ioniq 5 robotaxis to Waymo in Q4 2026; the company said initial deliveries arrive in the fourth quarter.
• Watch for announcements of additional fleet customers for factory-equipped Ioniq 5s; no date has been set for any new supply contracts.
• Watch for Waymo fleet expansion notices in U.S. cities where it already operates; Waymo currently runs about 4,000 vehicles across 14 U.S. cities.