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Pony AI Lifts 2026 Robotaxi Fleet Goal on Faster Growth
Target Increases by 500 to 3,500
Key Takeaways:
- Pony AI raised its 2026 robotaxi fleet target to 3,500 vehicles after posting stronger-than-expected first-quarter revenue growth.
- Revenue surged 145% year over year, prompting the company to lift its full-year robotaxi revenue outlook to 3.5 times 2025 levels, despite widening losses.
- The company is accelerating global expansion and software deployment with major automakers, signaling confidence even as China tightens autonomous-driving regulations.
Pony AI Inc. raised its robotaxi fleet target for this year by 500 vehicles to 3,500 after reporting stronger-than-expected first-quarter revenue.
The self-driving company posted 145% on-year revenue growth to $34.3 million in the three months ended March, beating the $21.7 million average analyst estimate compiled by Bloomberg. Operating loss widened 4% to $58.3 million, according to a company statement on May 26.
Buoyed by the results, Pony AI increased its commercialization targets for the year. In addition to the larger fleet target, the company now expects full-year robotaxi revenue to grow 3.5 times its 2025 level of $16.6 million — up from an earlier projection of threefold growth, according to the statement.
American Depositary Receipts of the driverless car operator rose 3.6% to $9.24 as of 10:15 a.m. in New York. The stock is down about 36% so far this year.
The revision signals Pony AI’s confidence in the robotaxi market, even as China’s autonomous driving industry faces headwinds after regulators paused new permits for high-level self-driving vehicles following a widespread outage of Baidu Inc.’s robotaxis in Wuhan. Pony AI said at the time that its own operations in China were unaffected.
The company is deploying its latest self-driving software in vehicles made by Guangzhou Automobile Group Co. Ltd., Beijing Automotive Group Co. and Toyota Motor Corp.
https://t.co/jCrY756ajt reported record quarterly Robotaxi revenues in Q1, up 395.4% YoY, and raised its 2026 Robotaxi revenue outlook and fleet target.🚖
Now expects:
1⃣3,500 Robotaxis by year-end
2⃣Full-year Robotaxi revenues to exceed 3.5x 2025 levelhttps://t.co/bGQHxxUIzy pic.twitter.com/LyAZxEvJX5 — Pony.ai (@PonyAI_tech) May 26, 2026
“Currently, we are accelerating the roll out of Gen 7 vehicles across Toyota, Beijing Auto, and Guangzhou Auto, exceeding 1,700 robotaxi vehicles,” James Peng, Pony AI’s chief executive officer, told analysts on an earnings call.
The Guangzhou-headquartered company is also accelerating its international expansion. It started offering robotaxi services in Croatia’s capital Zagreb together with Verne, which is 47%-owned by Bugatti owner Rimac Group, and Uber Technologies Inc. It’s also running trials in the UAE, Singapore and South Korea.
