Waymo has opened its next-generation Ojai robotaxi to the general public across San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Phoenix, making the Zeekr-built vehicle one of the few ways an American can ride in a Chinese-made EV they cannot legally buy.waymo opens zeekr ojai robotaxi to all us ridersThe Alphabet unit confirmed the move as it begins commercial operations on the platform, ending the free early-access period that had run since the Ojai started offering trips on May 28.Riders may now be matched with an Ojai when one is available nearby. Eventually, Waymo says it will let passengers choose between the Ojai and its existing Jaguar I-PACE fleet.AdvertisementAdvertisementThe Ojai's base vehicle is manufactured by Zeekr, the premium EV brand owned by Geely Holding Group, on the automaker's SEA-M architecture, with the body designed in Sweden. US tariffs and an incoming federal rule have effectively locked Chinese passenger EVs out of the American market, which is why no dealership sells a Zeekr, a BYD, or any other Chinese brand. Waymo, however, is importing them by the thousands regardless.Per Forbes, Waymo has brought more than 3,200 Zeekr vehicles into the US through the Port of Los Angeles since 2024, with more than 2,600 of those arriving in 2026 alone - all while paying a tariff of roughly 127.5% on Chinese EVs. The economics still favor Waymo. The base price is believed to be low enough to limit the tariff impact, and as a result the vehicle only becomes expensive once Waymo adds its sensor and computing suite. The total is expected to come in at less than half the reported cost of the Jaguar I-PACE robotaxis it is replacing.The vehicles must also clear the US Commerce Department's connected-vehicle rule, which takes effect for 2027 and bans vehicle-connectivity and driver-assist hardware or software sourced from China or Russia. To comply, the Zeekrs arrive stripped of Chinese connectivity hardware and sensors, and the company installs its own US-designed compute and sensor suite. Final assembly happens at Waymo's Mesa, Arizona facility with supplier Magna. The sheet metal, battery, and cabin, however, remain Zeekr's.Zeekr designed the Ojai as a purpose-built robotaxi rather than a retrofit. As a result, the van-style EV has a flat floor, a low step-in height, and wide gondola doors on both sides. Waymo highlights an expansive cabin with extra legroom and headroom, three adaptive screens for route, music, and climate, plus charging ports, cup holders, grab bars, and braille labeling for accessibility.AdvertisementAdvertisementRiding on top is Waymo's sixth-generation Driver, which uses 13 cameras, four lidars, and six radar units - a 42% cut in sensor count from the fifth-generation system. Waymo has said the hardware now runs under $20,000 per vehicle, which the company frames as a key lever for scaling the fleet profitably.As of last week, Waymo had nearly 1,000 Ojai robotaxis staged at its Arizona factory, with hundreds already converted and ready to deploy alongside its roughly 3,700 Jaguar I-PACE vehicles. The company says it is currently running about 500,000 paid rides per week across roughly a dozen cities and is targeting 1 million weekly rides. In addition, it is bringing the Hyundai Ioniq 5 online as a second new platform.Alongside opening the Ojai to everyone, Waymo rolled out Gemini in Waymo and a redesigned rider app. The company says Ojai rides are coming next to select riders in Denver, San Diego, and Las Vegas, with more cities later this year.This article was written using AI.Become an AutoGuide insider. Get the latest from the automotive world first by subscribing to our newsletter here.