TL;DRECARX, the automotive tech company backed by Geely founder Li Shufu, has signed a ~$750 million deal with May Mobility to supply thousands of purpose-built robotaxi vehicles with custom L4 computing and sensor suites. The vehicles will be manufactured outside China to comply with US connected-vehicle regulations.
ECARX, the automotive technology company backed by Geely founder Li Shufu, has signed a strategic framework agreement with May Mobility to supply thousands of autonomy-enabled vehicles for the American robotaxi operator’s commercial fleet. The deal, valued at approximately $750 million, pairs a Chinese-founded hardware supplier with one of the few US robotaxi companies that has moved beyond pilot programmes to sustained commercial operation, and it arrives at a moment when Washington is actively restricting the use of Chinese automotive technology on American roads.
What the deal involves
Under the agreement, ECARX will deliver purpose-built vehicles equipped with custom Level 4 central computing platforms and full sensor suites designed specifically for autonomous ride-hailing. The vehicles and their sensor systems will be manufactured outside China, a deliberate structural decision to comply with US regulations governing information and communications technology in connected vehicles. Deployments are expected to begin next year, with scale-up targeted for 2028, when the companies aim to achieve a 50 per cent cost reduction in per-vehicle autonomy hardware compared to current industry benchmarks.
