Overview
- The company closed a $5 billion private credit loan without guarantees from Google, marking Waymo’s first debt raise on its own balance sheet.
- Waymo aims to expand its fleet from about 4,000 cars to roughly 8,000 by the end of this year and to about 20,000 by the end of 2027, according to people familiar with the plans.
- Operational steps tied to the push include recent public launches in San Antonio, San Diego and Tampa and a new Nashville maintenance and charging center run with Lyft.
- To speed vehicle supply Waymo is importing Zeekr-built Ojai electric cars from China without Chinese autonomous software and installing Waymo’s driving system at a Mesa, Arizona retrofit facility while reports estimate several thousand imports by year-end.
- The loan’s structure would let Waymo securitize future lease or fleet revenue as collateral to raise more capital, a move that could accelerate deployments but also draw scrutiny over tariffs, export controls and regulatory oversight.