Why Waymo Imported 3,200 Zeekr Robo-Taxis Despite Over 100% U.S. Tariffs

*This content was translated by AI.

Despite high tariff barriers imposed by the United States, it has been confirmed that Waymo, an autonomous driving company under Alphabet, is importing thousands of Chinese-made electric vehicles for operation. According to a the 12th report by Forbes, even though Chinese electric vehicles are subject to steep tariffs reaching 102.5%, Waymo has imported more than 3,200 Zeekr-based robo-taxis named 'Ojai' (codename CM1e) into the United States. Customs clearance records show that over 2,600 units arrived in 2026, with large numbers of vehicles gathered at integrated facilities such as those in Mesa, Arizona.

The core reason Waymo chose Chinese-made vehicle bodies despite punitive tariff measures by the U.S. government is the overwhelming cost-saving effect. Based on customs declaration values, the factory gate price for a Zeekr CM1e chassis ranges from $38,000 to $38,500 (approximately 51.3 million to 52 million won). After applying the 102.5% tariff, the chassis unit cost at the U.S. destination reaches approximately $78,000 (about 100.5 million won). Adding the cost of Waymo's sixth-generation autonomous driving system, which includes four lidars, six radars, and thirteen cameras—approximately $25,000 (around 33.8 million won)—the total vehicle and hardware cost before local integration amounts to only about $103,000 (roughly 139 million won).

This represents a price reduction of as much as 48.5% compared to the estimated per-unit cost of the fifth-generation robo-taxi based on the Jaguar I-Pace, which is approximately $200,000. Even with tariffs exceeding 100%, Zeekr's dedicated platform and sixth-generation hardware cost innovations are sufficient to fully offset the tariff increases.

Ojai was developed based on Geely's robo-taxi-exclusive 'SEA-M' platform. It features bidirectional sliding doors without B-pillars, an 800V voltage system, a 93kWh battery, and a 200kW rear-wheel motor. Dual-redundant by-wire technology has been applied to the braking and steering systems. The vehicle body, battery, and powertrain are produced at Geely's Ningbo factory in China, with final integration of Waymo's sixth-generation driver system carried out locally in the United States.

Currently, Ojai has begun actual operations in cities such as San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles. However, political scrutiny in the U.S. remains harsh. During a February Senate hearing, Bernie Mo Re-no (Rep.) strongly criticized Waymo's use of Chinese supply chains and called for stricter regulations. Amid national security concerns and a policy stance toward sanctions against China, attention is focused on what legal and political repercussions may arise from Waymo's large-scale introduction of Chinese-made vehicles in the future.

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*This content was translated by AI.