With a nod to EVs, Waymo retires self-driving Pacifica hybrid minivans

Self-driving technology company Waymo will retire its fleet of Chrysler Pacifica hybrid minivans, the vehicular flag-bearers for the nation’s first autonomous ride-hailing service.

Waymo said Thursday it will replace the vans used in its metro Phoenix ride-hailing service by increasing its deployment of Jaguar I-Pace electric vehicles.

The transition will occur in a matter of weeks. Waymo intends to maintain a national fleet of about 700 vehicles.

The move comes as the Google-affiliated company joins the “EV Acceleration Challenge” unveiled this week by the White House.

As the federal government hastens electrification efforts, Waymo saw an opportunity to “not only show how our technology can improve safety on roadways, but improve access to EVs generally,” Adam Lenz, the company’s head of sustainability and environment, told Automotive News.

The company has commercially operated driverless robotaxis in metro Phoenix since December 2018. It plans future service in San Francisco and Los Angeles.

Shared vehicles may allow for a higher number of vehicle miles traveled to be electrified in the short term, he said. And they may attract riders who want to be green but don’t want to purchase an EV out of the expense or issues like paying for home-charging equipment, range anxiety and finding charging locations.

“You’re not going to run out of battery with Waymo,” Lenz said. “We’re going to get you where you need to go.”

Waymo intends to power its all-electric fleet with renewable energy sources and is coordinating supply with local utility providers, Lenz said. In cases where that’s not possible, the company will offset emissions by purchasing renewable energy credits and certificates.

The move toward an all-electric fleet comes with potential benefits and complexities.

Waymo must now consider vehicle charging as part of its operations. That could affect utilization time. Standard Jaguar I-Pace vehicles have a stated range of up to 292 miles. Used in autonomous-driving scenarios, a self-driving system would draw power that likely reduces that range.

The I-Paces in the Waymo fleet are capable of continuous operations “in excess of eight hours,” the company spokesperson said. Range was not a concern. Additionally, the stable cost of electricity would protect the company from volatile gasoline prices.

In its metro Phoenix operations, most charging will occur at Waymo’s main depot in Chandler, Arizona. Other charging locations are available throughout Waymo’s service area, the company spokesperson said.

Charging will grow more central for Waymo as it adds markets and new vehicles in future years. The company unveiled an electric, purpose-built autonomous robotaxi designed in partnership with Geely’s Zeekr brand in November.

Prototypes of the Zeekr vehicles are expected to begin testing by the end of this year, the Waymo spokesperson said. But there is no firm date on when those vehicles will enter commercial service.

Eight to ten Pacificas will be kept for display or be donated to museums. A small “handful” of others may be retained for other purposes, such as assisting in mapping new markets.

The Pacificas defined an important chapter for the company, serving in what became the nation’s first commercial robotaxi service in December 2018.

Despite the end of the minivans in the Waymo fleet, the company’s partnership with Stellantis remains “ongoing,” the Waymo spokesperson said. In July 2020, Waymo expanded its partnership with then-Fiat Chrysler Automobiles to include joint development of autonomous delivery vans based on the Ram ProMaster platform.

A Stellantis spokesperson did not return a request for comment Thursday afternoon.