Waymo is investing tens of millions of dollars to develop three autonomous vehicle depots in Washington, D.C. The facilities will provide charging, maintenance, and repair capacity for the company’s planned ride-hailing operations.
In the Langdon neighborhood, Waymo is converting a 32,000-square-foot warehouse into a maintenance and repair facility. HITT Contracting is developing the site, while Evan Raabe Architecture Studio is leading design work. Waymo expects the depot to begin operations by the end of 2026. The Langdon facility will include seven service bays, eight vehicle lifts, tire equipment, and an alignment rack. It will support a fleet that could eventually include hundreds of electric Jaguar I-PACE vehicles.
Waymo is also developing a 20,000-square-foot charging facility in Ivy City. A third and larger leased site will provide both charging and maintenance services. JLL is managing development of all three locations.
The company is building the facilities before Washington, D.C., permits fully driverless testing and commercial autonomous ride-hailing. Current regulations require a human operator during autonomous vehicle testing. Proposed legislation would allow driverless testing and establish requirements for future commercial service.
Waymo aims to launch its commercial service in Washington, D.C., in early 2027, subject to regulatory approval.