Gasoline Or Batteries For Robo-taxis? It Depends.

It seems inevitable that whenever automated cars are referenced, they're assumed to be electric vehicles, i.e. This fits the image of a utopian future of ubiquitous mobility which doesn't pump out tailpipe emissions and hasten the end of human civilization. From an engineering perspective, there are some specific advantages offered by electric drive, particularly the ability to directly control individual wheel motors for acceleration and braking. If you're starting from scratch and building your own vehicle, basic electric platforms are readily available; you don't have to work with a traditional car manufacturer. This is why we've seen the rise of low speed automated shuttles based on simple but effective electric platforms, as well as custom-built parcel delivery bots.