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Welcome back to The Station, your central hub for all past, present and future ways of transporting people and packages from point A to point B.
Happy July 4th to all Americans, in the US and abroad. On this Independence Day, I’ve been thinking a lot about freedom of movement – this is a mobility newsletter after all. I’m talking about the Privileges and Immunities clause in the United States Constitution, Article IV, Section 2, Clause 1†
The fundamental right of movement includes interstate travel. Consider revising the clause; I suspect it will get more attention in a post Roe v. Wade world.
Since this is a holiday weekend, I’ll keep it short and sweet. See you next week.
Oh, an item to mark. Our regular founder Q&A series went a bit further this week. Rebecca Bellan interviewed Fia Joneswho approached the founder and CEO of Rocket Lab at the age of 19 Peter Beck at a party and told him she had an idea that would change the game for powering satellites. She’d be happy to tell him all about it… if he’d be willing to sign a nondisclosure agreement. Fia’s startup is Astrix Astronautics.
As always you can email me at [email protected] to share thoughts, criticisms, opinions or tips. You can also send a direct message to @kirstenkorosec
Micromobile
Bird has been through quite a bit of drama lately, what with the NYSE gives it a warning for trading at too low a share price and having to let go of 23% of the staff† This week, CEO Travis VanderZanden steps down as president succeeded by Shane Torchiana, Bird’s COO. VanderZanden will retain his position as CEO and chairman of the board of directors.
Bo Mobilitya UK-based e-scooter manufacturer, recently launched a new scooter with a unibody frame that gives it a seamless, curvy look and a stable, smooth riding experience. The company was founded by ex-Formula One engineers, so it certainly holds promise.
The dawn of the electric micro bike – like something between a scooter and a bicycle.
I have no idea if they are any good, but targeted advertising taught me that you can buy electric mototaxis wholesale from Alibaba†
gozema West African super app, has $10 million raised to expand its fleet of electric moto-taxis.
Worldwide revenue from shared mobilityincluding car rental, ride hailing and bike sharing apps, are expected generate annual revenue of $660 billion by 2030that’s an increase of nearly 40% over the revenue generated in 2020.
Numana German-Indian startup, uses Audi-sourced second-life batteries to bring electric rickshaws to India†
populus was selected as the mobility management program for the new launch of Chicago’s permanent scooter sharing program† The company will share vehicle and ride data with the city so it can manage vehicle limits, parking policies, share zones, curb management solutions and more. In other Populus news, former To spin Director Ben Bear has signed up as an advisor to the company.
Why e-bike companies should give their vehicles Charging via USB-C†
The UK is extending trials with shared scooters until May 2024!
velotrica mobility startup led by Lime co-founder Adam Zhang has launched its first e-bike, the Discover 1† It has a straight-back posture so it’s comfortable to ride, a 60-mile range on a single charge, a removable battery, and it’s not too expensive – $1,399.
— Rebecca Bellan
Offer of the week
Every time I drive an EV on a long car ride – that’s not a Tesla – I’m disappointed with the charging infrastructure in the United States. Maybe this deal will change that.
I’m talking about Volkswagen Group subsidiary Electrify America raising $450 million in a deal involving the first outside investor as it aims to accelerate the roll-out of ultra-fast charging stations in the US and Canada.
The deal, which values North America’s largest ultra-fast EV charging network at $2.45 billion, includes more than $100 million from German industrial company Siemens and additional capital from VW Group.
Other deals that caught my eye…
BykeaShare Pakistani bike tours and start on-demand delivery, $10 million raised from existing backers Prosus Ventures, MEVP, Sarmayacar, Tharros and Ithaca Capital.
Clarios International, a low-voltage battery manufacturer in Wisconsin, has revived its IPO. The company announced plans to raise up to $100 million. Renaissance Capital Notes this is likely a placeholder for a deal and estimates the company can raise up to $1 billion.
mottu, a motorcycle rental startup in São Paulo, has raised $30 million in equity in a Series B funding round. The company also secured $10 million in debt financing.
Paragon IDsupplier of identification solutions for eID, transport and smart cities, traceability, brand protection and payment, acquired Urban Things† The terms of the deal have not been disclosed.
Basic principle, a drive now, pay later Fintech startup focused on EV car loans has raised $18 million in a roundup led by San Francisco-based Human Capital and London’s Giant Ventures.
Zipp Mobility has raised a Series A of $6.1 million to expand beyond Ireland into Europe.
Remarkable lectures and other facts
Advanced Driver Assistance Systems
Tesla the data annotation team working on Autopilot fired, laid off nearly 200 employees and closed the San Mateo, California office where they worked.
Autonomous vehicles
cruise robotaxis stopped working and sat on a street in San Francisco late Tuesday night, blocking traffic for a few hours until employees arrived and manually moved the autonomous vehicles.
Aurora, Luminar, UPS and waymo are among a group of 34 autonomous vehicle developers, California corporate organizations, and automotive and logistics companies that open letter to Governor Gavin Newsom who asked him to reconsider the California Department of Motor Vehicles’ 2015 ban on the use of autonomous trucks in the state.
waymos most serious accident to date (which was not his fault) involving a self-driving truck may have resulted in only moderate injuries, but it showed how unprepared local government and law enforcement are to deal with the new technology .
waymo announced a partnership with JB Hunt to deliver goods for its customer way fair in a pilot program.
Electric vehicles & batteries
CATL, a battery giant in China, may not be a household name. But it should be. Have a look at this feature on CATL and the man who runs it.
Cadillac The Celestiq, the brand’s halo EV that debuts during Monterey Car Week in August, is reportedly priced at around $300,000. londonbusinessblog.com looks at Cadillac’s large-scale ambitions for this small car.
canoe may face more problems, this time on the factory side. Tulsa World Reports that Canoo’s plans to build a manufacturing plant at Mid-America Industrial Park could be delayed due to adverse economic conditions.
Drako Motorsan EV startup, has released details about its 2,000-horsepower Drako Dragon Super SUV.
Hyundai a preview of the IONIQ 6 sedan, the long-awaited successor to the brand’s popular first battery-electric model, the IONIQ 5 SUV. The automaker will not disclose details such as the price range of the IONIQ 6 and the size of the production run until the vehicle’s world premiere in July.
JD Power published its US Initial Quality Study and found that battery electric vehicles and plug-in hybrids have more problems than the average car.
LFP batteries: An older, cheaper and safer battery technology that already dominates China’s electric vehicle industry is now poised to revolutionize battery manufacturing worldwide and boost EV sales in the United States, reports Jaclyn Trop in this deep dive from TC+.
Nikola adjourned its annual meeting to July 18, giving the company time to lobby shareholders to approve a fund-raising measure to issue more common stock.
Rivian opened its first three fast-charging electric car locations in California and Colorado as part of the automaker’s drive to build an “adventure” network along highways and locations near recreational activities aligned with its customer base
Tesla delivered 254,695 electric vehicles worldwide in the second quarter, down nearly 18% from the prior period due to supply chain constraints, China’s extensive COVID-19 lockdown and challenges surrounding opening factories in Berlin and Austin. their toll on the business. The QoQ drop is the first in two years.
Volkswagen Group revealed his ID. AERO concept in China, which aims to inspire next year the carmaker’s flagship EV and the first-ever global all-electric sedan.
Technology in the car
BMW Group tapped Valeo to provide the advanced driver assistance system for the carmaker’s new electric vehicle platform, which will hit the market in 2025.
Updates for a right to restorative justice in Massachusetts asked automakers represented by the Alliance for Automotive Innovation to file a lawsuit. The outcome has again delayed† A federal judge delayed a decision last week — the third time since March that the long-awaited ruling has been delayed.
People
Activist investors are crying out for the Securities and Exchange Commission intervene Teslas shrinking shelf.
Hyzon engines appointed Shawn Yadon president of commerce. He will be responsible for commercializing the North American market while supporting Hyzon’s strategic position for the production and sale of its hydrogen fuel cell vehicles.
Owen Diaza former elevator operator at Teslas The Fremont factory that accused the company of racial discrimination will face the automaker again in court.
Voltathe EV charging network, appointed Yifan Tang as Chief Technology Officer.
Woven Planet Holdingsa subsidiary of Toyota Motor, hired John Absmeier as Chief Technology Officer, effective July 25, 2022. He will report to James Kuffner, CEO of Woven Planet.