- Hellobike anticipates small-batch deliveries of its L4 autonomous robotaxi models in March next year, with mass production slated for June.
- Hellobike announced its entry into the robotaxi sector in June, jointly establishing a company with Ant Group and CATL dedicated to L4 autonomous driving technology R&D.
Chinese bike-sharing giant Hellobike is expected to conduct small-batch deliveries of its Level 4 autonomous robotaxi models in March next year and achieve mass production by June, local media outlet Lanjinger reported today.
The company's vehicle manufacturing partner is Dongfeng Nissan's Venucia brand, with its first Level 4 model based on the Venucia VX6, according to the report.
Hellobike announced its entry into the robotaxi sector in June this year, jointly establishing a company with fintech giant Ant Group and battery powerhouse CATL (HKG: 3750, SHE: 300750) to focus on L4 autonomous driving technology R&D.
Headquartered in Shanghai, the company received over RMB 3 billion yuan ($424 million) in initial funding from its three backers, according to a Hellobike announcement at the time.
In September, Hellobike announced strategic investment in its robotaxi business from Alibaba.
The company has unveiled its first mass-produced robotaxi model, the "HR1" (Hello Robot1), with plans to deploy over 50,000 robotaxis by 2027.
Hellobike has already launched commercial operations in Zhuzhou, Hunan and Liyang, Jiangsu, while initiating testing in Shanghai, Guangzhou, Changzhou, and Changsha, Lanjinger reported, citing sources.
Key players in China's robotaxi sector currently include Baidu Apollo, WeRide (HKG: 0800), and Pony AI (HKG: 2026).
Xpeng (NYSE: XPEV, HKG: 9868) is among automakers entering this space, aiming to launch three robotaxi models and commence trial operations by 2026.
Additionally, multiple ride-hailing platforms including Hellobike have been expanding into robotaxi services in recent years.
Geely's mobility platform Cao Cao Mobility announced yesterday an upgrade to its robotaxi strategy, planning to establish five global operational hubs over the next decade and expand robotaxi services to 100 cities.
On December 1, Didi's autonomous-vehicle subsidiary announced the launch of 24/7, fully driverless passenger testing in select areas of Guangzhou.
($1 = RMB 7.0717)
