ANNIE ALLEN (UK Bureau Chief)
Caocao Inc, the ride-hailing unit of Geely Holding Group, plans to deploy thousands of fully customised robotaxis globally from 2027, its chief executive said, in a move that could intensify competition with Tesla’s forthcoming Cybercab.
Chief Executive Gong Xin told Reuters at the Beijing auto show that large-scale production and deployment of the company’s purpose-built robotaxi, the Eva Cab, is expected to begin in 2028, with the fleet projected to expand to about 100,000 vehicles by 2030.
The initial rollout is planned for Abu Dhabi, Hong Kong and five cities in mainland China starting next year. Gong said production, delivery and deployment would occur almost simultaneously.
The Eva Cab is designed specifically for autonomous ride-hailing services, featuring a reconfigured interior with simplified storage and no enclosed door pockets, aimed at reducing the likelihood of passengers leaving belongings behind. Gong added that the vehicle would be priced below private cars due to the absence of luxury features and high-powered motors, although he did not disclose specific pricing.
Caocao’s approach differs from many existing robotaxi operators, which typically adapt mass-market vehicles for autonomous use, limiting interior optimisation and cost efficiency.
Founded in 2015 as Geely’s mobility platform, Caocao listed in Hong Kong in June 2025 and reported its first quarterly adjusted net profit in the fourth quarter. Gong said the company’s alignment with Geely’s global expansion gives it a competitive advantage in overseas markets.
He added that only three to four major robotaxi operators are likely to remain in China by 2030 as competition intensifies.
Other Chinese automakers are also accelerating robotaxi plans. Xpeng expects to produce hundreds to thousands of robotaxis within the next 12 to 18 months, according to its president, Brian Gu, who said the company is seeking global operating partners.
The push by Chinese automakers into autonomous mobility services sets up a potential global rivalry with Tesla, whose CEO Elon Musk has said production of its purpose-built Cybercab will scale gradually before expanding significantly as the company grows its driverless fleet.
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