The American electric vehicle market is not growing as quickly as some had anticipated, but Hyundai, a South Korean carmaker, sees a new opportunity in robotaxis—self-driving cars designed for ride-sharing services. The company plans to produce tens of thousands of its Ioniq 5 electric vehicles for Waymo, a leader in autonomous vehicle technology. This partnership is being seen by Hyundai’s president, José Muñoz, as a significant new sales channel. Hyundai’s Georgia plant, which was originally intended to be a major hub for electric vehicle production, has not been operating at full capacity. In the first quarter of 2026, it used only 38.2 percent of its available production space. To address this, the company has begun producing hybrid models at the site to match changing consumer preferences. However, the deal with Waymo offers another way to utilize the plant’s capacity. The Ioniq 5 vehicles will be manufactured at the Hyundai Metaplant America in Georgia and will later be equipped with Waymo’s sixth-generation autonomous driving system. The first deliveries are expected in the fourth quarter of 2026. Although the exact number of vehicles has not been officially announced, some reports suggest that up to 50,000 Ioniq 5 vehicles could be produced by 2028. Waymo is expanding its autonomous ride-hailing services across the United States and is preparing to enter international markets. Hyundai believes its Ioniq 5 could support this expansion starting in 2027. For Hyundai, the partnership offers a way to increase electric vehicle sales without relying solely on private consumers, while also positioning the company in a growing autonomous vehicle market that is transitioning from testing to large-scale deployment.