Uber will invest $300 million in electric vehicle maker Lucid Motors as part of a new robotaxi partnership announced Thursday.

The deal, which also involves autonomous driving startup Nuro, will see more than 20,000 self-driving Lucid Gravity SUVs deployed in a major U.S. city starting in late 2025.

The rollout will begin in 2026 and span six years, with Nuro supplying the autonomous vehicle (AV) technology. A prototype of the Lucid-Nuro robotaxi is already operating on a closed circuit at Nuro’s Las Vegas testing facility.

Uber’s investment is part of a broader funding effort that includes financial support for both Lucid and Nuro, the companies said. Lucid disclosed the $300 million figure in a filing to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Following the announcement, Lucid’s shares surged over 26% to $2.95, though they remain down 24% for the year.

The deal signals Uber’s return to the robotaxi space after selling off its autonomous vehicle division in 2020. Since then, Uber has focused on forming strategic partnerships with AV developers, including Waymo, Aurora, and Volkswagen. In April, it announced a separate robotaxi plan with Volkswagen’s ID.Buzz vans, set to begin service in Los Angeles in 2026.

Despite years of hype, commercializing AV technology has proven difficult, with high costs, regulatory hurdles, and safety concerns stalling progress. General Motors’ Cruise halted operations in 2023 following a federal investigation, while Amazon’s Zoox and Tesla are continuing limited trials.

Lucid’s interim CEO Marc Winterhoff said the company is now expanding beyond EVs into new markets. Meanwhile, Nuro co-founder Dave Ferguson noted ongoing talks to integrate Nuro’s self-driving system into consumer vehicles. However, the firm will still need to secure additional state-level operating licenses.