Lucid Motors is expanding its presence in the European autonomous vehicle sector through a new partnership with ridesharing giant Bolt. Under the agreement, Bolt intends to deploy a minimum of 25,000 self-driving cars based on Lucid’s midsize platform throughout the continent.
Bolt aims to have 100,000 autonomous vehicles on its platform by 2035, though specific timelines for the rollout of these Lucid-based units have not yet been disclosed. The company plans to own and operate the fleet, collaborating directly with the automaker on vehicle development. These robotaxis are expected to utilize NVIDIA’s Hyperion autonomous architecture and are engineered for Level 4 automation, allowing them to operate without human intervention within designated geographic areas.
This move follows earlier demonstrations by Lucid, which showcased a two-seater robotaxi prototype derived from the same midsize platform. The company has stated that this platform is designed to facilitate the production of more affordable vehicles compared to its existing lineup. However, Lucid recently announced that the delivery of the Cosmos SUV, its first electric vehicle built on this platform, has been pushed back to early 2027. This delay comes shortly after the manufacturer laid off approximately 18 percent of its workforce.
In addition to its European ambitions, Lucid maintains active partnerships in the United States. It is working with Uber to deploy 35,000 robotaxis across the country, including models based on the midsize platform and the Gravity SUV. Meanwhile, Nuro has begun testing its Gravity-based robotaxi with a safety driver in Houston and the San Francisco Bay Area.
NVIDIA Hyperion is a solid choice for Level 4 autonomy. If they can solve the engineering hurdles, this could transform European city travel significantly.
25,000 by 2035 sounds ambitious, especially with recent layoffs and production delays. I wonder if Lucid can actually deliver at that scale.