WeRide Announces Plan to Expand Commercial Robotaxi Services to 15 Additional Cities Globally

Core Insights - WeRide Inc. reported its unaudited financial results for Q1 2025, highlighting a total revenue of RMB72.4 million (US$10.0 million), a 1.8$100 million equity investment and the launch of services in 15 additional cities [3][4][14] - WeRide's gross profit margin remained stable at 35% in Q1 2025, with a significant increase in revenue contribution from the robotaxi business [4][18] Financial Performance - Total revenue for Q1 2025 was RMB72.4 million (US$10.0 million), compared to RMB71.2 million in Q1 2024 [15] - Revenue from the robotaxi business was RMB16.1 million (US$2.2 million), contributing 22.3% of total revenue, up from 11.9% in the same period of 2024 [4][15] - The company reported a net loss of RMB385.1 million (US53.1 million), an improvement from a net loss of RMB468.1 million in Q1 2024 [21][37] Strategic Partnerships and Expansion - WeRide expanded its partnership with Uber to include 15 additional cities, enhancing its robotaxi services and aiming for scalable operations [3][4][14] - The company launched its robotaxi services in Dubai in collaboration with the Dubai Road and Transport Authority and Uber, marking a significant step in international expansion [4][3] - WeRide and Tencent Cloud entered into an expanded strategic cooperation agreement to support autonomous driving R&D and commercialization efforts [3] Regulatory Approvals and Technological Advancements - WeRide obtained multiple regulatory approvals for commercial deployments in both domestic and international markets, facilitating its expansion efforts [4] - The company received the first batch of driverless road-testing licenses for its robovan W5 in Guangzhou, China, marking a significant regulatory milestone [8] - WeRide launched fully driverless robotaxi testing in Abu Dhabi, the first of its kind in the Middle East, and introduced a 24-hour autonomous ride-hailing network in Guangzhou [11][4] Research and Development - R&D expenses increased to RMB325.7 million (US44.9 million) in Q1 2025, reflecting a 17.3% increase from RMB277.6 million in Q1 2024, driven by personnel-related expenses and professional service fees [21] - The company is focused on enhancing its technological leadership and expanding its end-to-end mass-market ADAS solutions [14][21] Market Position and Future Outlook - WeRide is positioned as a global leader in autonomous mobility, with operations in over 30 cities across 10 countries [32] - The company aims to make autonomous driving accessible and affordable, with ongoing efforts to diversify revenue streams and expand its market presence [14][4]