In 2026, the autonomous driving industry formally moved beyond the technology validation stage and into the deep-water zone of scaled commercial application. Competition has shifted from algorithmic contests to full-stack capabilities spanning vehicle platforms, operational systems, infrastructure, and business models. Against this backdrop, the purpose-built Robotaxi has emerged as the core direction for industrial upgrading—and a strategic lever for mobility platforms to build long-term competitiveness.
As Geely Holding Group’s primary commercialization vehicle for RoboX, CaoCao Mobility has built a trinity, full-capability closed-loop ecosystem centered on “intelligent purpose-built vehicles + intelligent driving technology + intelligent operations.” This ecosystem supports a diversified smart capacity network covering Robotaxi, Robovan, and other scenarios. Under its “Dual 100K Plan,” CaoCao Mobility aims to deploy 100,000 Robotaxis and 100,000 Robovans cumulatively by 2030. The execution of the RoboX strategy marks the company’s entry into a new stage of scaled and systematic robotaxi commercialization.
Purpose-Built Robotaxi: Restructuring the Foundations of Commercialization
In previous years, most industry Robotaxi projects were based on retrofitted mass-production models—adding LiDAR, compute units, and software post-production. While this approach allowed rapid deployment and lower initial CAPEX, it created inherent trade-offs. Vehicle architecture, sensor placement, software stacks, and operational requirements suffered from persistent “integration friction,” making it difficult to optimize costs and efficiency.
As robotaxi commercialization accelerates, the industry’s R&D focus is rapidly shifting toward “native development.” The unveiling of Tesla’s Cybercab and CaoCao Mobility’s Eva Cab confirms that purpose-built Robotaxi design has become the preferred path for industry leaders.
At Auto Beijing 2026, China’s first natively developed purpose-built Robotaxi, Eva Cab, was officially launched. Deeply involved in its product definition and R&D, CaoCao Mobility engineered the vehicle from the ground up for autonomous operation scenarios. Featuring a steering-wheel-free, no-front-passenger-seat cabin, Eva Cab is designed for a service life 2–3 times that of ordinary passenger vehicles. Key components offer significantly extended durability, and maintenance intervals are substantially prolonged. This approach minimizes redundant costs at the source and ensures fleet asset returns through an exceptionally low Total Cost of Ownership (TCO). Per current plans, CaoCao Mobility’s deeply customized purpose-built Robotaxi will enter mass production in 2027, targeting a cumulative deployment of 100,000 units by 2030.
Operational Excellence: Scaling Capacity from Billions of Rides
While custom vehicles provide the hardware foundation, operations remain the true barrier to robotaxi commercialization. Unlike most autonomous driving technology firms, CaoCao Mobility brings 11 years of shared mobility operational expertise, enabling the direct migration of proven dispatch, maintenance, and service systems into autonomous scenarios.
As of December 31, 2025, CaoCao Mobility’s network covered 195 cities across China and extended to 42 countries worldwide, having completed over 1.9 billion mobility trips. The company has built a human-driven operational system comprising 38,000 custom vehicles. The vast datasets and mature algorithms accumulated in fleet dispatching, asset management, user services, and compliance operations provide a readily reusable foundation for Robotaxi fleet management, maintenance scheduling, and service standardization.
Currently, CaoCao Mobility has deployed 100 Robotaxis for operation in Hangzhou’s Binjiang District and launched the world’s first Green Intelligent Mobility Hub. Integrating automated battery swapping, automated cleaning, vehicle preparation, smart dispatching, and automated settlement, the facility enables fully automated vehicle energy replenishment and turnaround without manual intervention—significantly extending daily vehicle uptime and utilization efficiency. The hub also reserves eVTOL landing interfaces, paving the way for a future “ground-air integrated” three-dimensional mobility ecosystem.
Complementing this infrastructure, the RAS (Remote Assistance & Safety) Platform is now operational. On July 27, CaoCao Mobility announced the official launch of main-seat driverless testing, with all test vehicles fully integrated into the “CaoCao Zhixing RAS Remote Safety Service Platform.” The platform provides continuous safety monitoring, emergency call response, real-time remote assistance, and anomaly handling—delivering robust safeguards for unmanned operations while accumulating critical data and experience for future nationwide scaled replication.
Global Expansion: Dual-Track Commercial Deployment in the Middle East and Europe
Leveraging Geely Holding’s global resources, CaoCao Mobility is accelerating the overseas rollout of its trinity, full-capability closed-loop ecosystem—a cornerstone of its RoboX strategy.
In the Middle East, following a strategic partnership with the Abu Dhabi Investment Office (ADIO), CaoCao Mobility signed an agreement in June 2026 with K2 Group, a government-backed entity in Abu Dhabi. The two parties will jointly advance Robotaxi commercial deployment in the UAE, with local road testing and initial vehicle deployment scheduled within the year. K2 Group provides the testing environment and local infrastructure support, while CaoCao Mobility contributes its vehicle systems, operational frameworks, and technical expertise—adapting its domestically validated solution for the Middle Eastern market.
In Europe, CaoCao Mobility has entered into a global strategic partnership with U.S.-based autonomous driving technology firm May Mobility, focusing on Robotaxi pilot deployments across the region. May Mobility brings mature fully driverless operational experience and its proprietary in-place AI technology, well-suited to Europe’s narrow streets and complex traffic conditions. CaoCao Mobility contributes its strengths in fleet operations, asset management, and scaled deployment. Together, the partners are exploring viable commercialization pathways for the European market. Additionally, Hong Kong has been designated as the first international hub for CaoCao Mobility’s RoboX strategy, with Robotaxi services already launched to serve as a critical bridge connecting mainland China with global markets.
Industry Outlook: From Narrative to Sustainable Business Models
Industry analysis suggests the autonomous driving sector has moved beyond the “storytelling” phase. True competition now centers on which players can first establish sustainable business models. The purpose-built Robotaxi addresses product-side efficiency and cost challenges; mature operational systems ensure scaled deployment capabilities; and global market access expands the commercial addressable space. Together, these three pillars are accelerating robotaxi commercialization.
CaoCao Mobility’s strategic path not only builds differentiated competitive barriers for the company itself but also provides a valuable reference for the broader intelligent mobility industry in developing replicable, profitable commercial models.
Industry analysis suggests the autonomous driving sector has moved beyond the “storytelling” phase. True competition now centers on which players can first establish sustainable business models. The purpose-built Robotaxi addresses product-side efficiency and cost challenges; mature operational systems ensure scaled deployment capabilities; and global market access expands the commercial addressable space. Together, these three pillars are accelerating robotaxi commercialization.
CaoCao Mobility’s strategic path not only builds differentiated competitive barriers for the company itself but also provides a valuable reference for the broader intelligent mobility industry in developing replicable, profitable commercial models.