Tesla Targets Waymo, Uber in California Ride-Hail Bid

A Tesla Cybercab prototype at a Tesla store in San Jose, Calif. (David Paul Morris/Bloomberg News)

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Tesla Inc. is seeking approval to offer ride-hailing services in California, a key step by Elon Musk’s company to begin carrying paying customers while its traditional car-selling business falters.

The electric vehicle manufacturer applied late last year for what’s known as a transportation charter-party carrier permit from the California Public Utilities Commission, according to documents viewed by Bloomberg. That classification means Tesla would own and control the fleet of vehicles.

The previously unreported application suggests Tesla is working to launch a promised ride-hailing business in the near term, opening a new revenue stream and putting it in competition with the likes of Uber Technologies, Lyft Inc. and Waymo. Musk has said Tesla would roll out driverless ride-hailing in Austin in June and aimed to offer it in California by the end of the year, without offering specific details. …