Quick access to main page (top) Direct access to main contents Quick access to main page (bottom)

NIO’s CEO: Robotaxis Aren’t a Sustainable Business Model

globalautonews Views  

Chinese electric car startup Nio has announced that it will not enter the robotaxi (self-driving taxi) market. Robotaxi is not an exciting business model, and Nio is determined not to enter the space, said William Li, the company’s founder, chairman, and CEO. In an interview with local media following today’s Nio IN 2024 event in Shanghai, Li argued that smart driving technology should reduce accidents and free up driver’s energy. “Robotaxi technology will definitely mature,” Li said. “But is it necessarily a sustainable business? No, you’re overthinking it.”

“There’s a finite number of cabs that can be accommodated for a city, whether they’re being driven by human drivers or not,” Li said. “This means robotaxi will never be a business that becomes borderless like software or cloud services. Wake up!” Li added.

Tesla had initially planned to unveil its robotaxi on August 8, but the date has been pushed back to October 10, 2024. Back in November 2021, Xpeng announced plans to explore the robotaxi business in the second half of 2022. On July 25, He Xiaopeng, Xpeng’s chairman and CEO, posted on Weibo that his company would launch a highly competitive robotaxi at a steady pace in 2026. He implied that while Xpeng will provide the vehicles, partners will handle the operations.

Chinese IT company Baidu’s robotaxi platform, Apollo Go, currently operates in about a dozen Chinese cities. Earlier this month, ride-hailing drivers in Wuhan, Hubei province, raised concerns that the service was taking business away from them, sparking widespread attention.

globalautonews
content@viewusglobal.com

Comments0

300

Comments0

[BUSINESS] Latest Stories

  • Honda's NSX Returns: A 1,000-Horsepower Electric Rival to Lexus LFR
  • Honda’s S7 Electric SUV: A Major Player in the Race for EV Dominance
  • Lamborghini's First EV: A 2,000-Horsepower Beast Built for Speed and Emotion
  • Ford Revives Classic Design with the 2025 Bronco Heritage Edition
  • ID.EVERY1: Volkswagen's $21K Electric Vehicle Aims to Make Green Driving Accessible
  • Toyota’s bZ3X SUV Surges with 10,000 Pre-Orders: A New Era in EVs

You May Also Like

  • 1
    Blackberries vs. Raspberries: Which Berry Is the Low-Calorie King?

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    Why Some People Gain Weight on Salads—and Others Don’t

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    This Vitamin Could Help You Fight Fatigue, Infections, and More

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 4
    Olive Oil on an Empty Stomach – Hype or Health Miracle?

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    Why Guava Is a Must-Have for Anyone Watching Their Blood Sugar

    LIFESTYLE 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Parkinson's Puzzle: Study Explains How PINK1 Gene Fights Cell Damage

    LIFESTYLE&nbsp

  • 2
    Feeling Drained No Matter How Much You Sleep? Here’s Why

    LIFESTYLE&nbsp

  • 3
    Hope for Alzheimer’s? Anti-Amyloid Treatments Linked to 50% Lower Risk

    LIFESTYLE&nbsp

  • 4
    Can Eating Only Boiled Eggs Really Help You Lose Weight?

    LIFESTYLE&nbsp

  • 5
    New Study: Daytime Drowsiness Could Raise Dementia Risk by 100%

    LIFESTYLE&nbsp

Must-Reads

  • 1
    Blackberries vs. Raspberries: Which Berry Is the Low-Calorie King?

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    Why Some People Gain Weight on Salads—and Others Don’t

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    This Vitamin Could Help You Fight Fatigue, Infections, and More

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 4
    Olive Oil on an Empty Stomach – Hype or Health Miracle?

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    Why Guava Is a Must-Have for Anyone Watching Their Blood Sugar

    LIFESTYLE 

Popular Now

  • 1
    Parkinson's Puzzle: Study Explains How PINK1 Gene Fights Cell Damage

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 2
    Feeling Drained No Matter How Much You Sleep? Here’s Why

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 3
    Hope for Alzheimer’s? Anti-Amyloid Treatments Linked to 50% Lower Risk

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 4
    Can Eating Only Boiled Eggs Really Help You Lose Weight?

    LIFESTYLE 

  • 5
    New Study: Daytime Drowsiness Could Raise Dementia Risk by 100%

    LIFESTYLE