China’s electric-vehicle story took another notable turn this week, with two very different developments underscoring the sector’s widening influence. In the US, Alphabet’s Waymo has reportedly imported more than 3,200 Zeekr-built robotaxi vehicles despite a punishing 102.5% tariff, highlighting how competitive Chinese EV hardware remains even in a politically sensitive market. At the same time in China, Leapmotor launched presales for its low-cost A05 hatchback from 63,900 yuan ($9,475), bringing LiDAR and up to 510 km of CLTC range into the mass-market segment just as China’s NEV sales rose 23.7% year-on-year in July to 1.561 million units.
Waymo’s Zeekr Bet Shows the Cost Equation Still Works
The headline-grabbing number is simple: more than 3,200 Zeekr-based Ojai robotaxis have been imported into the US cumulatively, according to a Forbes report cited by CarNewsChina. More than 2,600 of those shipments were recorded in 2026 alone, and a recent clip showed more than 500 vehicles gathered at Waymo’s integration facility in Mesa, Arizona.
That matters because these vehicles are not arriving tariff-free. The Ojai, built by Geely-owned Zeekr in Ningbo, China, faces a 102.5% US tariff. Yet Waymo is still using the platform for public robotaxi service in San Francisco, Phoenix, and Los Angeles.
Why Waymo is still importing a Chinese EV platform
The answer appears to be product fit and economics.
The Zeekr Ojai is based on Geely’s SEA-M architecture, which traces back to the Zeekr M-Vision concept first revealed for Waymo’s autonomous mobility program in 2022. It was designed from the outset for ride-hailing use cases rather than adapted later from a conventional passenger car.
Key hardware highlights include:
- 800V electrical architecture
- 93 kWh battery pack
- Single rear motor with 200 kW (268 hp)
- Dual B-pillarless sliding doors
- Redundant drive-by-wire and brake-by-wire systems
For robotaxi use, those last two points are especially important. Sliding doors improve curbside passenger access, while redundant steering and braking hardware is essential for autonomous applications.
Waymo then adds its sixth-generation autonomous-driving stack in the United States. That Gen 6 system includes:
- 4 LiDAR sensors
- 6 radar units
- 13 cameras
Waymo has said this sensor suite was streamlined to cut cost while broadening operating capability, a critical point in a robotaxi market where unit economics still determine scalability.
Estimated Robotaxi Cost: Why Tariffs Haven’t Killed the Deal
Based on import declarations, the ex-factory value of the Ojai CM1e chassis is roughly $38,000 to $38,500 per vehicle. Applying the 102.5% tariff to the upper end brings the landed chassis cost to about $78,000.
Waymo has disclosed that its Gen 6 autonomous hardware costs around $25,000. That implies an estimated subtotal of about $103,000 before final US integration.
Crucially, that is not the full all-in robotaxi cost, because final integration, logistics, and operating expenses are not public. Still, it offers a revealing comparison with Waymo’s earlier Jaguar I-Pace-based Gen 5 vehicles.
Waymo robotaxi cost comparison
| Vehicle platform | Vehicle/hardware estimate | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Zeekr Ojai + Waymo Gen 6 | ~$103,000 | Includes tariffed chassis and Gen 6 hardware, excludes final integration |
| Jaguar I-Pace + Waymo Gen 5 | ~$200,000 | Prior estimate included about $75,000 vehicle cost and $125,000 AV hardware |
By that comparison, the Zeekr-based Gen 6 setup is about 48.5% cheaper on disclosed vehicle-and-hardware figures.
That cost reduction helps explain why Waymo is willing to absorb tariffs. Even with US trade barriers, a purpose-built Chinese EV base can still produce a more attractive robotaxi cost structure than a legacy premium crossover adapted for autonomy.
Leapmotor A05 Targets China’s Budget EV Sweet Spot
While Zeekr is making headlines in US robotaxis, Leapmotor is attacking the opposite end of the market in China: affordable urban EVs with surprisingly advanced tech.
Leapmotor began presales for the A05 on August 11, positioning it against the Geely EX2, one of the domestic segment’s strongest sellers. The new hatchback starts at 63,900 yuan ($9,475), and upper trims combine a 52 kWh LFP battery, 510 km of CLTC range, and even a LiDAR-based driver-assistance system.
That last feature is particularly notable. LiDAR remains rare in cars priced around the 100,000-yuan mark, making the A05 an example of how quickly advanced ADAS hardware is moving downmarket in China.
Leapmotor A05 at a glance
The A05 is effectively a hatchback sibling to Leapmotor’s B03X crossover and will be sold overseas as the Leapmotor B03. It arrives as Leapmotor continues to gain momentum after Stellantis invested 1.5 billion euros ($1.73 billion) in the company, helping expand its international distribution and product reach.
Dimensions of the A05 are:
- Length: 4,200 mm
- Width: 1,800 mm
- Height: 1,560 mm
- Wheelbase: 2,605 mm
Compared with the Geely EX2, the A05 is:
- 65 mm longer
- 5 mm wider
- 20 mm higher
Leapmotor A05 Specs and Trim Strategy
Leapmotor is clearly using a two-step value strategy: a very low entry price to broaden appeal, and better-equipped higher trims to showcase technology.
Leapmotor A05 key specifications
| Version | Motor | Battery | Range (CLTC) | 0-100 km/h | Top speed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Entry trim | 70 kW FWD | 39.8 kWh LFP | 405 km | 11.0 s | 160 km/h |
| Higher trims | 90 kW FWD | 52 kWh LFP | 510 km | 10.6 s | 160 km/h |
A few technical details stand out:
- The base car uses an air-cooled battery, a cost-saving choice that may be less robust in very hot or very cold weather.
- Higher trims adopt a liquid-cooled LFP battery, which should offer better thermal management and durability.
- Leapmotor says the upper-powertrain version uses a “seven-in-one” electric drive system.
In practical terms, the A05 is not a performance EV. But that is not the point. Its mission is to deliver space, digital features, and range at a price point that pushes deeper into mainstream household demand.
A Low-Cost EV With Premium-Style Features
The cabin specification reinforces how Chinese automakers are redefining budget-car expectations.
Interior features include:
- 8.8-inch instrument cluster
- 14.6-inch center display
- Snapdragon 8155 or Snapdragon 8295 chip, depending on trim
- Heated and ventilated front seats on top trim
- Fold-flat front seats that can create two beds
- 33 storage spaces
- 474-liter trunk
- 91-liter underfloor storage space
- 1,308 liters of cargo volume with rear seats folded
- 12-speaker audio system
- 128-line LiDAR on higher trims
This feature mix is becoming a familiar Chinese EV formula: aggressively priced hardware, strong infotainment, flexible packaging, and selective deployment of advanced sensing technology to create perceived value far beyond sticker price.
China’s NEV Market Is Still Expanding Fast
Both the Zeekr-Waymo story and the Leapmotor A05 launch sit within a much larger trend: China’s new energy vehicle market is still growing at a formidable pace.
According to CAAM data reported by CnEVPost, China sold 1.561 million NEVs in July 2026, up 23.7% year-on-year. Exports were even more striking, surging 1.5 times from a year earlier.
China NEV sales: July snapshot
| Metric | July 2025 | July 2026 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| NEV sales | 1.262 million | 1.561 million | +23.7% |
July also continued a run of massive monthly volumes in 2026:
- January: 945,000
- February: 765,000
- March: 1.252 million
- April: 1.344 million
- May: 1.496 million
- June: 1.643 million
- July: 1.561 million
These figures show that China is no longer just the world’s biggest EV market by volume. It is also the world’s fastest-moving laboratory for cost compression, supply-chain scaling, and feature democratization.
Why This Matters Globally
There are two big takeaways here.
First, Chinese EV manufacturing remains globally competitive even when tariffs are extremely high. Waymo’s use of the Zeekr Ojai suggests that for specialized applications like robotaxis, the combination of EV platform design, battery integration, and cost efficiency can outweigh trade penalties.
Second, the domestic Chinese market is continuing to push advanced technologies into lower price bands. Leapmotor putting LiDAR, Snapdragon cockpit chips, and 500-km-class range into an affordable hatchback is a warning sign for global rivals that still treat such features as premium differentiators.
In other words, China’s EV industry is now winning on two fronts:
- Upstream manufacturing efficiency for export and industrial partnerships
- Downstream product innovation in mass-market consumer vehicles
That combination is difficult for overseas automakers to ignore.
The Competitive Landscape Ahead
For Zeekr and Geely, the Waymo partnership is strategically significant beyond volumes alone. It validates Chinese EV platforms in one of the world’s most technically demanding mobility businesses: autonomous ride-hailing.
For Leapmotor, the A05 could become another proof point that the brand is moving from startup outsider to mainstream contender, especially with Stellantis helping broaden its global reach.
The bigger question is how competitors respond.
- Can legacy Western automakers match Chinese EV cost structures?
- Will more autonomous-driving companies use Chinese-built EV bases despite political risk?
- How quickly will LiDAR and advanced ADAS spread through sub-100,000-yuan segments in China?
Those questions will shape the next phase of the global EV market.
Looking Ahead
Expect both themes to intensify. Robotaxi operators will keep hunting for lower-cost, purpose-built EV platforms, and Chinese brands will keep compressing the price of digital features, battery range, and assisted-driving hardware.
If July’s sales data is any guide, China’s EV momentum is not slowing. Whether through Zeekr vehicles roaming US cities under Waymo branding or Leapmotor hatchbacks battling for first-time buyers at home, Chinese EV makers are extending their influence far beyond their traditional comfort zone.
