Lucid And Bolt Plan 25,000 Robotaxis For European Markets

Lucid is partnering with ride-hailing company Bolt to develop and deploy a fleet of autonomous vehicles for European markets, marking an expansion of the electric vehicle maker’s robotaxi strategy beyond the United States.

Under the agreement, Bolt plans to deploy at least 25,000 autonomous vehicles based on Lucid’s midsize vehicle platform across Europe. The company has set a broader target of having 100,000 autonomous vehicles on its platform by 2035, although it has not specified when the Lucid-based robotaxis will begin passenger operations.

Bolt is expected to own and operate the Lucid fleet while working with the automaker on development of the vehicle. The companies are targeting Level 4 autonomous driving, meaning the vehicles are intended to operate without human control within defined operating conditions and geographic boundaries.

Lucid Targets Level 4 Robotaxi Platform

The planned robotaxi is expected to use NVIDIA’s Hyperion autonomous-vehicle architecture, although the supplied material describes this as a likely configuration rather than a confirmed final specification.

Lucid has already demonstrated a two-seat robotaxi prototype built around its midsize platform. The platform is intended to support vehicles that can be produced at a lower cost than the company’s existing models.

The development comes as Lucid prepares to introduce its first production vehicle using the midsize architecture. The company recently delayed its Cosmos SUV until early 2027. The delay followed a workforce reduction in which Lucid cut approximately 18% of its employees.

European Expansion Builds On US Robotaxi Plans

The Bolt agreement adds a European programme to Lucid’s existing robotaxi partnership with Uber and Nuro in the United States.

Uber plans to deploy 35,000 Lucid robotaxis in the US, with the planned fleet including vehicles based on Lucid’s midsize platform as well as a model derived from the Gravity SUV.

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Nuro has also begun testing a Gravity-based robotaxi in Houston and the San Francisco Bay Area. Those tests are being conducted with a safety driver behind the wheel.

Lucid’s partnerships therefore cover multiple stages of autonomous-vehicle development, from testing with a safety driver to plans for Level 4 commercial operation. The timing for the European fleet’s entry into service, however, has not yet been disclosed.