Uber has struck a landmark agreement to invest US$300 million in Lucid Motors and purchase up to 20,000 of the startup’s Gravity electric SUVs for a new U.S. robotaxi service. The deal brings Uber back into autonomous vehicles five years after off‑loading its self‑driving unit, and positions Lucid as a manufacturing partner alongside AV software provider Nuro.
Under the plan, Lucid will build purpose‑built Gravity robotaxis that Nuro will equip with its Level 4 driverless technology. Pilot deployments begin next year in one major U.S. city—reportedly Las Vegas—with nationwide roll‑outs slated over the next six years. The program aims to cut Uber’s dependence on gig‑drivers while giving Lucid a long‑term production backlog and fresh capital at a crucial time.
Investors cheered the announcement: Lucid shares spiked more than 40 percent in pre‑market trading, while Uber gained 3 percent. Analysts say the pact intensifies competition with Waymo, Cruise‑GM and Tesla’s forthcoming network, and highlights how EV makers and ride‑hailing platforms are forming alliances to shoulder the heavy costs of autonomous deployment.
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