TechCrunch Mobility is a weekly e-newsletter devoted to all issues transportation. Join right here — simply click on TechCrunch Mobility — to obtain the e-newsletter each weekend in your inbox. Subscribe at no cost.
Welcome again to TechCrunch Mobility – your central hub for information and insights on the way forward for transportation.
This week was a busy one with Rivian formally saying the reveal date for its next-gen EV, a Waymo robotaxi hanging a bicyclist (oh and considered one of its robotaxis was vandalized and burned late Saturday night time!), Arrival attempting to unload its UK property, plus just a few scoops on e-motorcycle startup Cake, Ford and Fisker. There’s numerous floor to cowl, so come alongside for a journey.
Oh, however first, a little bit of late-breaking information over the weekend.
Joby Aviation, an organization creating all-electric plane for industrial passenger service, introduced Sunday an settlement with Dubai regulators to launch air taxi providers there by early 2026. Joby, a startup that went public in 2021 by way of a merger with a particular function acquisition firm, mentioned it’s concentrating on preliminary operations as early as 2025.
It’s price noting that below the deal, Joby has unique air taxi rights in Dubai for six years and a few monetary “mechanisms”; Joby didn’t present additional particulars. Joby has additionally signed an settlement with Skyports, an organization that may design, construct and function 4 preliminary vertiport websites throughout Dubai.
Let’s go!
A bit chook
We’ve had many little birds speaking to us about Fisker, the EV startup that went public in 2020 by way of a merger with a particular function acquisition firm. These conversations mixed with a overview of inner paperwork, quite a few lawsuits and an investigation by federal regulators got here collectively in a riveting and troubling story by Sean O’Kane.
What did O’Kane discover? Fisker Ocean SUV clients have reported greater than 100 separate loss-of-power incidents in addition to a myriad of different issues, together with sudden lack of braking energy, problematic key fobs inflicting them to get locked inside or exterior of the automobile, seat sensors that don’t detect the motive force’s presence and the SUV’s entrance hood abruptly flying up at excessive speeds.
Clients additionally complained concerning the service division. After our story was revealed, one other little chook informed us that Fisker’s world service director was not too long ago let go.
Bought a tip for us? E mail Kirsten Korosec at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com or Sean O’Kane sean.okane@techcrunch.com. In case you desire to stay nameless, click on right here to contact us, which incorporates SecureDrop (directions right here) and numerous encrypted messaging apps.
Deal of the week
India is among the largest two-wheeler markets on the planet. And a complete new crop of startups — like startup River — are popping up on the scene due to demand for zero-emission autos.
River not too long ago raised $40 million in a Sequence B funding spherical led by Japan’s Yamaha Motor. Present traders Al-Futtaim Automotive, Lowercarbon Capital, Toyota Ventures, Vans VC and Maniv Mobility additionally participated.
The startup is going through a aggressive market as many firms are vying for a chunk of the EV pie. River is betting that it’s going to win over Indian clients with Indie, a utility lifestyle-focused product that has been described as an “SUV” two-wheeler.
Different offers that obtained my consideration …
Elroy Air, a South San Francisco-based startup creating autonomous cargo drones, raised $48.9 million, in accordance with a regulatory submitting.
Guided Power, a French startup that raised $5.2 million from Sequoia Capital and Dynamo Ventures on the finish of 2023, is constructing a software program device that may assist EV fleet operators with cost administration and dispatch.
Oto, an Indian startup that constructed a financing software program platform for two-wheeled EVs, raised $10 million in a spherical led by GMO Enterprise Companions.
Starship Applied sciences, a supply robotics startup out of Estonia, raised $90 million in funding spherical co-led by two earlier backers: Plural and Iconical. It brings the full raised by Starship to $230 million, with earlier backers together with the Finnish-Japanese agency NordicNinja, the European Funding Financial institution, Morpheus Ventures and TDC.
Notable reads and different tidbits
Autonomous autos
An administrative regulation decide with the California Public Utilities Fee held a settlement listening to relating to the October 2 incident that left a pedestrian, who had initially been hit by a human-driven automotive, caught below after which dragged by a Cruise robotaxi.
The listening to rehashed a lot of what Quinn Emmanuel – the regulation agency GM employed to analyze the October 2 incident — revealed in an unbiased report. But it surely’s price noting that all through the change, Cruise struck a particularly conciliatory tone. Craig Glidden, GM’s EVP of authorized and coverage who was appointed in December chief administrative officer at Cruise, was notably ingratiating.
At one level, he appeared to agree with paying a better high quality, which below statute can be $112,000. Right here’s what he mentioned.
“It was regrettable. It was a mistake and Cruise is trying to make proper with the error. I’m not right here to quibble about whether or not it’s $75,000 or $112,000. We need to get the matter settled as a result of we need to transfer ahead and we need to advance the mission of bringing driverless vehicles which might be safer to the general public and in addition better accessibility to the general public to the market. So we’re very happy to be compromised in any ways in which the court docket would see match or the fee would see match to get this matter behind us.”
Waymo has the eye of regulators in California after considered one of its robotaxis struck a bicyclist in San Francisco. The bike owner suffered minor accidents. Waymo mentioned its robotaxi was stopped at a four-way intersection as a big truck was driving in the other way. The automotive then moved into the intersection and collided with the bike owner who was behind the truck.
TechCrunch spoke to the Division of Motor Autos and the California Public Utilities Fee — the 2 businesses that management permits that enable firms like Waymo to check, deploy and commercially cost for driverless rides. The CPUC mentioned it was “gathering data from Waymo” and the DMV informed me the company “is reviewing the incident.” We’ll see if this turns into something extra.
Another Waymo merchandise. At round 9 p.m. Saturday night, a crowd surrounded an empty Waymo robotaxi, started rocking it, smashing home windows and in the end lit it on hearth courtesy of fireworks. FriscoLive415 shared the video on X. Fairly insane footage. A Waymo spokesperson informed TechCrunch the automobile was not transporting any riders and no accidents have been reported. The corporate is “working intently with native security officers to answer the scenario.”
Electrical autos, charging & batteries
Arrival introduced that its U.Okay. division is coming into administration, the nation’s model of chapter.
Electrical motorbike firm Cake held talks with Harley-Davidson and different automakers in 2023 because it fought to remain alive, founder and CEO Stefan Ytterborn informed TechCrunch.
Cowboy is rolling out an on-demand service program for fundamental upkeep, customization and repairs, delivered on the e-bike proprietor’s dwelling.
Ford has been quietly engaged on a low-cost EV. The corporate created a skunkworks undertaking two years in the past that’s based mostly in Irvine, California and led by ex-Tesla and Ford Superior EV growth boss Alan Clarke. Notably, the workforce consists of engineers from Auto Motive Energy (AMP), the EV energy startup that the automaker acquired in November 2023. AMP founder Anil Paryani, who coincidentally overlapped with Clarke for about 5 years at Tesla, can also be a part of the skunkworks undertaking.
Rivian will reveal its smaller, cheaper R2 SUV on March 7. Keep tuned!
Toyota will spend a further $1.3 billion to organize its Kentucky manufacturing unit for manufacturing of a brand new three-row all-electric SUV designed for U.S. customers
Gig economic system
Uber hit a serious milestone that just a few years in the past I wasn’t positive would ever be met. The ride-hailing and supply app reported a full-year revenue (pushed by working earnings) as a public firm. And it appears that evidently revenue momentum is anticipated to proceed into the primary quarter. Uber has hit an annual revenue earlier than, nevertheless it was largely attributable to its investments. In 2023, the corporate’s income additionally got here from its operations.
Reminder that Lyft will submit its fourth-quarter and full-year earnings after markets shut February 13.
Folks
Getaround, an organization that helps automobile homeowners lease out their vehicles, vehicles and SUVs to different friends, is slicing 30% of its North American workforce as a part of a restructuring. Getaround minimize 10% of its workers in February 2023.
Basic Motors employed battery knowledgeable and ex-Tesla government Kurt Kelty to be the automaker’s new vp of batteries — a model new position for the corporate.
This week’s wheels
Picture Credit: Taylor Hatmaker
This week’s wheels may get the eye of e-bike followers. Editor Taylor Hatmaker writes this about her “zombie” Van Moof.
My VanMoof e-bike isn’t lifeless, nevertheless it’s not fairly alive both. I purchased an X3 from VanMoof after I reviewed the bike for TechCrunch again in 2021 and got here away wildly impressed. The bike was wonderful; nevertheless it was additionally a private revelation, empowering me —a lazy fair-weather bike owner — to bike round my metropolis (Portland, OR) once I may in any other case use a automotive.
Once I purchased my VanMoof, on sale on the time, I knew it was a threat. I spent the cash, figuring out that within the worst-case state of affairs my bike may flip right into a $2,000 brick. That state of affairs arrived final 12 months when VanMoof declared chapter.
Lavoie purchased the corporate’s stays late final summer season, offering a glimmer of hope that the notoriously fickle bikes filled with bespoke parts will nonetheless be serviceable sooner or later. Within the meantime, VanMoof homeowners like myself scrambled to obtain apps like Bikey, made by Cowboy, to salvage the digital keys linking us to our bikes.
I nonetheless have numerous affection for my 30-pound possible-future-paperweight, which I nervously energy on and join my telephone to a couple occasions per week. It’s been pouring for months — not the form of climate I’ll bike in any extra — however I hope when Spring rolls round that my X3 exhibits some contemporary indicators of life too.
