Nearly two years after Waymo and Geely reached an agreement to develop robot chassis for the US market, we are seeing concrete progress in their cooperation. Zeekr, a young electric vehicle brand founded by Chinese auto giant Geely, is hiring a logistics manager in the United States, according to a job posting on LinkedIn. A Zeekr spokesperson confirmed that the candidate will work on "Waymo projects and beyond." Not long ago, Zeekr was hiring a manager in the United States to oversee service operations and maintenance planning.
The robotaxi project is "on schedule," the spokesperson said, adding that Zeekr will "share its first test vehicles with Waymo" in the U.S. by the end of the year.
In December 2021, Waymo, Alphabet's self-driving unit, announced plans to collaborate with Zeekr to build a fully electric self-driving taxi. In November, the two companies previewed a prototype of the vehicle, equipped with Waymo's self-driving system and hardware made by Zeekr. Media editor Kirsten, who has seen the actual car, described her impression at the time:
This car doesn't look like today's minivans, nor does it look like a sci-fi vehicle. It's somewhere in between, with some interesting details, a hint of Swedish design inspiration thanks to partner CEVT, and some features that make it easier to get started.
There is currently no specific timetable for Waymo-Zeekr self-driving taxis to begin commercial operations, but this hiring move provides some assurance that the project will move forward during a challenging time. Escalating U.S.-China tensions have disrupted other high-profile collaborations between companies from the two superpowers, including Ford Motor Co.'s $3.5 billion plan to build a factory in Michigan with Chinese battery giant CATL.
The logistics manager will report to Zeekr U.S. general manager Ron Oppat, who spent two decades at Ford before joining the Chinese automaker. This position, preferably based in the San Francisco or San Jose area, "is responsible for leading a team that develops Zeekr's finished vehicle and spare parts distribution network and develops logistics processes, systems, partnerships and supply strategies to enable efficient operations and help Zeekr achieve minimal vehicle repair downtime."
A Zeekr spokesperson confirmed that the company's plan in the United States is to have about 8-10 people this year and about 25 next year, not including third-party technicians.