WeRide (WRD) Stock Climbs as Uber Reveals Nearly 6% Ownership Stake

Key Takeaways

• Uber (UBER) revealed ownership of 56.6 million WeRide (WRD) shares, marking a 5.82% passive investment in the self-driving vehicle developer.
• Shares of WRD surged 6.1% during premarket hours Monday after the stake disclosure.
• The collaboration between Uber and WeRide began in September 2024, originally centered on deploying autonomous taxis in the UAE without equity involvement.
• A $100 million Uber investment in WeRide was announced in May 2025, aimed at expanding operations to 15 additional markets within five years.
• Analyst consensus leans toward Strong Buy on WRD across Wall Street firms, while Seeking Alpha analysts maintain a Hold recommendation.

Trading near $6.76, WeRide (WRD) stock has declined approximately 60% from its 52-week peak of $16.86 ahead of Monday’s premarket activity.

WeRide Inc., WRD

Uber Technologies (UBER) has formally disclosed a 5.82% passive ownership position in WeRide (WRD), triggering a notable premarket rally for the autonomous driving company on Monday. The filing revealed Uber holds 56,618,266 shares, adding substantial financial backing to what initially began as a strategic operating partnership 18 months earlier.

The alliance between these companies originated in September 2024, when they unveiled plans to integrate WeRide’s self-driving vehicles into Uber’s ride-hailing platform, beginning with deployments in the United Arab Emirates. The initial announcement positioned the arrangement strictly as an operational collaboration focused on autonomous taxi services rather than an equity transaction.

The partnership accelerated considerably after that.

By May 2025, Uber revealed a $100 million capital commitment to WeRide, alongside an ambitious roadmap to extend their collaboration across 15 new metropolitan areas throughout the following five years. WeRide’s regulatory filing at that time indicated the transaction would likely finalize during the second half of 2025, subject to typical closing requirements.

Monday’s regulatory disclosure verifies that the investment has been completed.

Vehicle Deployment and Performance Data

WeRide presently maintains a robotaxi fleet comprising 1,125 vehicles, with 250 of those units deployed in international markets. The company projects fleet growth to 2,600 vehicles by the end of this year, with roughly 30% operating beyond China’s borders.

Regarding geographic expansion, WeRide intends to establish presence in another tier-1 Chinese city this year while launching revenue-generating services in Singapore, Zurich, Madrid, and one more European location.

Within China, WeRide’s autonomous taxis currently complete an average of 15 trips daily, increasing to 26 during high-demand periods. Average trip distance measures 5 kilometers, with pricing set at 2 yuan per kilometer—representing a 50% discount compared to conventional ride-hailing services. The company’s medium-term objectives include achieving 25 trips per vehicle daily at 3 yuan per kilometer, with pricing anticipated to approach traditional ride-hailing rates as operational efficiency scales.

Middle Eastern operations continue, although WeRide has noted possible vehicle shipment disruptions connected to regional geopolitical tensions.

Financial Efficiency and Market Outlook

WeRide achieved a 38% reduction in total ownership costs during 2025, while improving its remote assistance efficiency from a 1:10 ratio to 1:40. Additional cost improvements are projected for 2026 as both vehicle acquisition prices and autonomous driving hardware expenses decline with increased production volume.

Revenue expanded 40% across the previous 12-month period. While the company continues operating at a loss, its balance sheet shows greater cash reserves than outstanding debt, providing financial support for growth initiatives. Current market capitalization stands at approximately $2.17 billion.

Morgan Stanley maintained its Overweight recommendation on WRD on March 23, establishing a $14.70 price objective—representing more than twice the current market price. Analyst Tim Hsiao refreshed his assessment after examining WeRide’s expansion strategy and operational performance metrics.

Wall Street analyst consensus strongly favors a Strong Buy rating on the shares. Seeking Alpha analysts adopt a more conservative stance with a Hold rating.

In related news, NVIDIA’s most recent 13F regulatory filing indicated the semiconductor company divested its entire WeRide position, along with holdings in Arm Holdings and Applied Digital.

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