Pony AI nears full-year robotaxi target despite scaling hurdles

[HONG KONG] Pony AI said that it was confident it would meet its 2025 robotaxi vehicle output target, while acknowledging it will still take time to commercialise the industry.

Over 200 of the company’s Gen-7 Robotaxi vehicles have been rolled out since mass production started two months ago, putting the firm on track to hit its 1,000 vehicle goal by year-end, chief executive officer James Peng said.

“We have laid a solid foundation for large-scale commercial robotaxi operation,” Peng told an earnings call late Tuesday (Aug 12). Robotaxi services revenue climbed 158 per cent to US$1.5 million in the second quarter from the same period in 2024, according to a company filing.

Still, the road to scaling hundreds of commercial robotaxis remains challenging. Most countries, other than the US and China, remain unready for large-scale deployment, chief financial officer Leo Wang told the call. The current limitations mean it could take time to develop a sustainable fare-charging business model, he said.

“I would also emphasise that scaling a full driverless robotaxis fleet demands a fundamentally higher level of safety and operation rigour,” he added. “This leap from dozens to hundreds is a big jump in complexity.”

Second-quarter net loss amounted to US$53.3 million, compared to US$30.9 million in the same period last year. Research and development expenses rose 69 per cent to US$49 million from the same quarter in 2024, amid higher investments for Gen-7 vehicles. BLOOMBERG