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Allow me a quick second to toot my very own horn!
Downey’s Dream Cars, a brand new actuality TV present that mixes vehicles, local weather change, the way forward for mobility, startups and Robert Downey Junior, premiered June 22 on HBO Max. I had the chance to seek the advice of on the present and — plot twist — find yourself in a few episodes too (albeit briefly).
I do hope you test it out; and never simply because I labored on it. The present explores concepts and options for how one can decrease our carbon footprint. I’m completely satisfied to say, it doesn’t boil down to purchasing a $58,940 EV, which was the typical worth in March 2023, in keeping with Kelley Blue Book.
OK, lets leap into the information of the week! Vamos.
Want to succeed in out with a tip, remark or criticism? Email Kirsten at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com. You can also ship a direct message to @kirstenkorosec.
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Micromobbin’
Just once we thought shared micromobility corporations couldn’t iterate much more on e-scooter design, Bolt has gone and executed it once more.
Bolt (the European one, not the one which mysteriously disappeared) launched its sixth-generation e-scooter; and this one is full of all of the tech. What stood out to me was the IoT module with laptop imaginative and prescient expertise that enables the scooter to detect pedestrians and sidewalk driving. Once once more, scooter ARAS for the win.
A number of different notable options, contains an audio alert that claims “thank you” to individuals who decide up a fallen scooter, a parking system and switch alerts. And 70% of the aluminum comes from recycled sources.
Bolt will begin deploying about 1,000 of those scooters in Lisbon, Riga and Tallinn by the tip of July 2023.
In different information …
Bird stated its increasing its companies in Vienna, Austria after being awarded a brand new three-year allow.
Bosch eBike Systems is defining the software-defined e-bike. The firm simply launched a spread of recent connectivity options for the 2024 mannequin 12 months to individualize the driving expertise, together with a brand new premium subscription that options and alarm and bike lock and a management unit that doubles as a customizable show display.
Cycle has dropped a brand new cargo e-bike, the 20Fifty, designed particularly for supply. It’ll be out there from July as a subscription beginning at €129.00 monthly, together with upkeep service and insurance coverage.
Think you need to purchase your child an e-bike? Just don’t. Here’s why.
Indian startups, not legacy OEMs, are those main the electrical two-wheeler revolution (paywall).
New York City is now letting electrical micromobility automobiles into parks. This bit of reports coincides with the growth of the e-scooter program into Queens.
Zoomo has partnered with EAV to deliver EAV’s cool-looking cargo e-bikes to the Zoomo platform. Zoomo gives e-bike subscriptions to couriers, to EAV’s inclusion within the platform is a big degree up.
— Rebecca Bellan
Deal of the week
Let’s speak about loans. And boy, it is a massive one.
I’m speaking about Ford (and its battery manufacturing associate SK On) touchdown a $9.2 billion mortgage from the U.S. Department of Energy. The funds will probably be used to construct three battery factories in Kentucky and Tennessee which might be anticipated to start manufacturing in 2025.
Ford isn’t the one firm to obtain a conditional mortgage from the DOE to spur extra clear vitality — and particularly battery — manufacturing within the United States. Last 12 months, a three way partnership between General Motors and LG Energy Solution obtained a $2.5 billion mortgage to construct three battery factories within the U.S.
Battery supplies and recycling startup Redwood Materials has additionally obtained a $2 billion mortgage.
Other offers that received my consideration this week …
BorgWarner agreed to purchase the electrical hybrid programs enterprise phase of Italy-based Eldor Corp. for €75 million ($80M).
Cargobot, a Miami-based digital freight firm, raised $6 million in a Series A spherical led by BPBI with continued participation from its majority investor Total Management 2 Inc.
Guardian Agriculture, an agricultural eVTOL firm, raised a $20 million in a Series A spherical led by Fall Line Capital.
Rivian acquired Iternio, the corporate behind ABetterRouteplanner, a well-liked route-planning app utilized by EV drivers. Financial phrases weren’t disclosed.
Tesla plans to accumulate a German-based firm known as Wiferion that sells wi-fi charging programs for autonomous cellular robots and autonomous guided automobiles, The Robot Report stated, citing an unnamed supply.
Notable reads and different tidbits
ADAS
Tesla shareholder and advocate Ross Gerber together with critic Dan O’Dowd recorded video of a experience in a Model S utilizing its so-called Full Self-Driving (FSD) beta software program. The plan, I presume, was for Gerber to persuade O’Dowd, a billionaire who has known as for a ban on the product, that FSD was protected. Welp, on this video you may see that didn’t occur and now it’s making its means round Twitter and different social media.
Specifically, the car runs a cease signal and Gerber takes over, stopping a crash with one other car (and please readers, as somebody who has repeatedly examined FSD, don’t attempt to argue it wasn’t engaged. It’s clear).
My query: will this video add momentum to efforts to manage or prohibit the usage of FSD or will it merely fade into the ether?
Autonomous car tech
Cartken says its sidewalk bots have surpassed greater than 25,000 month-to-month deliveries. The firm additionally stated that it has reached new ranges of autonomy that require “basically no intervention” and that make robotic supply worthwhile.
Cruise developed (and now launched) an Android app to help its robotaxi service. Apparently, greater than 20% of individuals on its waitlist are Android customers.
Kodiak Robotics signed a deal with Loadsmith, a market that connects shippers and carriers, to place 800 Kodiak-equipped vans on its platform. Reminder: In May 2022, Loadsmith secured 350 autonomous vans via TuSimple, however canceled its order just a few months later.
Parallel Domain, a San Francisco-based startup, launched a brand new API known as Data Lab that offers machine-learning engineers management over dynamic digital worlds to simulate any situation.
TuSimple retains ramping up in China. The firm stated it accomplished a collection of totally autonomous semi-truck runs on public roads in China with no human current within the car and with out human intervention.
Electric automobiles, batteries & charging
China’s CATL signed a deal with Bolivia to faucet the nation’s lithium reserves.
Helixx is utilizing Siemens’ open digital platform to design a highly-automated ‘factory in a box’ that may be constructed wherever to assemble smaller, low-cost EVs, beginning in massive Asian cities. Careful, Helixx. Sounds a bit like Arrival’s microfactory plan.
Hyundai outlined an up to date EV plan throughout its investor day, together with plans to spend about $28.1 billion over the subsequent decade on electrification, together with $7.45 billion for batteries. The firm additionally stated it should launch a brand new EV platform that may change the one at the moment on the Ioniq 5.
Fisker kicked off deliveries within the U.S. clients by handing over 22 automobiles Fisker Ocean One launch version automobiles to clients.
Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) is gaining extra floor. Rivian grew to become the most recent automaker to undertake NACS, following comparable strikes by Ford and General Motors. State governments are additionally getting on board. Texas stated it should require EV charging corporations to incorporate Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS) and the Combined Charging System (CCS) commonplace so as to qualify for a state program to affect highways via federal funds. And, it appears to be like like Washington is perhaps subsequent.
Volkswagen had a battery breakthrough. TC reporter Tim De Chant digs into the main points and explains what it means for the automaker and trade.
Gig financial system
Uber is doubling its promoting efforts. The ride-hail big is partnering with Omnicom Media Group in an information collaboration that mixes Uber’s mobility and supply insights and viewers knowledge with Omnicom’s working system.
In-car tech
Google is going through elevated scrutiny in Germany because the nation’s antitrust watchdog considers banning the corporate’s automotive companies unit from bundling navigation and different in-car companies.
OK, Forcite isn’t engaged on “in-car” tech, per se. But the startup has developed a sensible helmet that integrates with an app and sometime possibly even the motorbike itself. Contributor Tim Stevens has the within story on the corporate and the way it’s in search of the success that one-time Indiegogo darling Skully squandered.
Polestar fashioned a three way partnership with Xingji Meizu, a cell phone and shopper electronics firm, to construct an working system for Polestar vehicles offered in China. In the remainder of the world, Polestar built-in Google’s Android Automotive OS into automobiles to energy its infotainment programs.
Stellantis and Hon Hai Technology Group (extra generally referred to as Foxconn) created a three way partnership known as SiliconAuto that’s devoted to designing and promoting semiconductors to produce the automotive trade, together with Stellantis, beginning in 2026.
People
Chemix, the Silicon Valley battery developer, employed Praveen Sharma, a former Tesla operation chief, as its Chief Operating Officer.
Einride employed Henrik Green to move up its autonomous applied sciences division. Green beforehand served as chief expertise officer and chief product officer at Volvo Cars.
Grant Goodale, who co-founded of trucking market startup Convoy with Dan Lewis, is leaving his government place and can transition to an advisory function.
Lin-Hua Wu, the previous VP of world communications at Google, was employed as senior vice chairman and chief communications officer at GM.
What’s in my driveway
Image Credits: Kirsten Korosec
I sometimes check EVs and plug-in hybrids — and generally ICE automobiles if it has compelling tech. What’s in my driveway this week? The 2023 Mercedes EQE 350+ SUV.
Did you even know that the EQE had an SUV model? Well now you do. Mercedes has the flagship EQS, the EQS SUV and the EQE sedan. The EQE SUV form of slots within the center as a compact SUV.
The exterior is a bit meh for me (cute blob is what one neighbor stated). And don’t even get me began on the $650 elective illuminated operating boards that efficiently received in my means each time I stepped into or out of the EV. (Mercedes tells me the operating boards do enhance effectivity).
However, the inside and efficiency of the EQE SUV is the place this car actually shines. Mercedes’ MBUX infotainment system is without doubt one of the higher available on the market and it retains bettering. And plainly discovering and navigating to EV chargers in navigation has additionally improved!
One new merchandise price flagging: the EQE SUV can be outfitted with an ADAS system that may robotically change lanes with out driver intervention. Just don’t count on it to ever cross on the appropriate.