Waymo and the partnership with Chrysler and its outlandish order of 62,000 Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid units was a triumph for Chrysler. Today, we learned however, Waymo wanted to grow their fleet, but they only managed to transform just under 1,000 vehicles into actual Waymo minivan products that serve their clients.

The wild news of the change for Waymo has meant ordering more vehicles for their fleet, but entirely electric rides this time and they plan to recycle the remaining rides. For vehicles less than seven years old, this is a remarkable loss Waymo has taken as the orders for the Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans have cleared. In fact, Waymo is the sole reason Chrysler saw profits the last two years because of that large 62,000 vehicle purchase sheet that has been coming off the books the past half decade. Remarkable efforts by the Chrysler brand were rewarded in only sales figures.

Changing Landscape of EV Regulations

It’s noteworthy just how Waymo’s business, which is owned by Alphabet, the parent company of Google, has placed millions of dollars into their fleet only to see the funds become used without getting the full effect of having all the vehicles they ordered. A small number of these Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid minivans in Waymo’s fleet will be retained for historical purposes. Let’s not forget just how large of an operation Waymo was running. The self-driving Chrysler Pacifica Hybrid vehicles were part of Waymo’s plan to assist UPS with deliveries. Stellantis had teamed up with a Chinese startup AutoX to expand autonomous Pacifica Hybrid vehicles as taxis in China, so this isn’t the only avenue or company that invested in their products. The large reason for the swift change is because of the impact of EVs in the marketplace today in 2023 vs five years ago.

A large reason for this move is due to California’s regulations. The state approved a bill in 2021 requiring all AVs operating on public roads to be electric by 2030. California is where AV testing is found more than any state in the US, with over 50 companies licensed to operate autonomous vehicles for testing purposes. For us in Florida, we’re happy to drive our own rides and fleet services are hard to find by comparison. 

Chrysler Is Still A Prime Choice For Our Readers

Are you looking to get behind the wheel of a brand new vehicle? You can begin your shopping journey with us at NowCar. Please take a look at our Chrysler Pacifica, the Top Safety Pick+ winner, as we can help customers save thousands on our most popular vehicle offerings! For any new vehicle shopping needs you have, we can assist with all buying needs anytime at NowCar! Build your perfect ride with our help right now. Find and create what vehicle you want directly from the comfort of your computer, phone or tablet. We are open 24/7 to allow customers the best experience when building their own vehicles. To get going with building your new vehicle, just click on get started with your online car buying experience. We'll be ready to get started whenever you want!

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