The master plan to fill Europe with robotaxis: Lucid and Bolt team up to deploy 25,000 autonomous electric vehicles
21/09/2026 15:00
Updated to
21/09/2026 15:00
Lucid Motors and Bolt have joined forces to advance one of the largest autonomous mobility initiatives announced so far in Europe: they have reached an agreement to develop and deploy at least 25,000 autonomous electric vehicles in various European cities.
The vehicles will be based on Lucid’s upcoming Midsize platform, an architecture that will yield more compact and affordable models compared to the company’s current products. From their inception, these vehicles will be designed to incorporate SAE Level 4 autonomous driving systems, meaning they can perform all driving functions in specific areas and operating conditions without any driver intervention.
A project tailored for Europe
One of its key technological components will be NVIDIA Hyperion, an architecture that combines computing power with sensors designed for vehicles ready for autonomous driving. Additionally, Lucid and Bolt have confirmed they will work with partners specializing in autonomous driving technology, but they have not revealed which company will provide the software used to control the vehicles.
Bolt’s role in the agreement will not be limited to integrating vehicles into its service, but it also aims to participate from the earliest stages of development by defining requirements related to the car, software, safety, and passenger experience. It will also be responsible for creating the infrastructure needed to manage fleets and establishing relationships with the cities where the services will operate. The company intends to be both the owner and operator of the vehicles as well.
The agreement is part of the company’s broader strategy, which it announced long ago to have 100,000 autonomous vehicles on its platform by 2035. Thus, the 25,000 units planned with Lucid represent a significant portion of that future fleet. Bolt currently operates in over 850 cities across more than 50 countries and has over 200 million customers, giving the company a substantial infrastructure to gradually deploy autonomous driving services.
Markus Villig, founder and CEO of Bolt, says: “Autonomous driving in Europe requires that data, software, vehicles, and operations function as a single system designed for European roads and regulations. No one is better positioned to operate autonomous mobility services efficiently on a large scale.”
A project in its early stages
For Lucid, the deal represents a second major project related to robotaxis in just over a year. The American company is already working with Uber and Nuro in North America to develop an autonomous version of the Gravity SUV, though the target volume announced for that project is only 20,000 units. The company finds this business model particularly attractive due to the potential for intensive vehicle utilization compared to the traditional model based on individual car sales.
"Shared autonomous mobility offers the perfect opportunity to expand our unique technology beyond vehicles for individual use. Bolt’s reach and operational experience make it an ideal partner to scale autonomous mobility across Europe. Together, we will deliver an exceptional customer experience," said Silvio Napoli, CEO of Lucid.
Nevertheless, the European project is still in its early stages. The financial terms of the agreement have not been disclosed, nor has Bolt made a formal order for 25,000 vehicles. No specific date for the start of deployment has been set initially, though 2028 is being considered.