Amazon’s autonomous vehicle subsidiary Zoox unveils massive 220,000-square-foot production facility in Hayward, setting the stage for a robotaxi revolution that could produce 10,000 driverless vehicles annually by 2027.
Key Takeaways
- Zoox has established a new 220,000-square-foot manufacturing facility in Hayward, California to support its robotaxi production goals
- The Amazon-owned company plans to launch its autonomous ride-hailing service in Las Vegas this year, followed by San Francisco next year
- Production capacity will scale from the current one robotaxi per day to potentially three vehicles per hour by 2026
- The ambitious target is to manufacture 10,000 all-electric, fully autonomous vehicles annually by 2027
- This expansion positions Zoox to directly compete with Waymo, Google’s autonomous ride-hailing service
Strategic Bay Area Expansion
Foster City-based Zoox is dramatically scaling up its autonomous vehicle production capabilities with the opening of its first full-fledged manufacturing facility in Hayward, California. The new 220,000-square-foot plant represents a significant milestone for the company as it prepares for the commercial launch of its robotaxi service. This facility complements Zoox’s existing assembly warehouse in Fremont, creating a robust production infrastructure in the Bay Area. The strategic location near the company’s headquarters enables efficient coordination between engineering, production, and testing teams.
“Amazon-owned autonomous vehicle company Zoox has opened its first full-fledged production facility, where it expects to one day build 10,000 robotaxis per year,” stated Zoox, in their announcement about the facility’s capabilities.
Production Ramp-Up and Service Launch Timeline
The Hayward facility will handle every aspect of robotaxi production, including engineering, software and hardware integration, assembly, storage, and testing. Currently, Zoox is producing approximately one vehicle per day, but the company has ambitious plans to increase this rate significantly. By 2026, production could reach three vehicles per hour, and by 2027, Zoox aims to be manufacturing 10,000 all-electric, fully autonomous vehicles annually. This production capacity is essential for supporting the company’s expansion plans for its ride-hailing service.
“Robotaxi maker Zoox announced a new 220,000-square-foot production plant in Hayward, California, ahead of the company’s official public launch in Las Vegas later this year and in San Francisco next year,” stated Zoox, regarding their expansion and launch timeline.
The company is currently testing its vehicles in multiple U.S. cities and already offers rides to early-access participants in Las Vegas. This program will expand to San Francisco later this year, with plans to launch paid public rides in Las Vegas before the end of 2025. Looking further ahead, Zoox has identified Austin and Miami as future markets for expansion in the coming years, demonstrating the company’s commitment to nationwide deployment of its autonomous ride-hailing service.
Advanced Manufacturing Approach
The new Hayward facility employs a sophisticated production approach that combines human expertise with robotic precision. While humans perform most of the assembly tasks, robots handle specific functions such as adhesive application and vehicle transport on the assembly line. The facility features what Zoox describes as a “unique layout and building equipment” that is designed to adapt to different vehicle designs as the robotaxi lineup evolves over time. This flexibility is crucial for a technology company operating in the rapidly changing autonomous vehicle sector.
Since being acquired by Amazon in 2020, Zoox has been positioning itself as a formidable competitor to Waymo, Google’s autonomous ride-hailing service that pioneered the first robotaxi service available to the public. The significant investment in manufacturing infrastructure demonstrates Amazon’s commitment to establishing Zoox as a leader in the autonomous transportation sector. “As the production facility ramps up operations, it will play a critical role in Zoox’s ability to scale its service and challenge established players in the emerging robotaxi market,” according to The Epoch Times.
