Hyundai's Largest Electric SUV, Makes Its Debut at the LA Auto Show | August 16th, 2024

Tom Cruise’s electric bike debut at the Olympics, Navee’s e-scooter pilot in China, and McGregor’s vintage bike adventure highlight changing trends in transportation.

Issue [#252] - Every week, we deliver analysis and curation of emerging mobility news - post a job listing here!

Micromobility

Tom Cruise's appearance at the 2024 Summer Olympics showcased the growing trend of electric motorcycles in live performances. Riding a LiveWire Del Mar, an American-made electric bike, Cruise's silent yet powerful entrance highlighted the shift towards cleaner, quieter vehicles in public events. This trend is also seen in performances like Lana Del Rey's Coachella entrance, signaling a broader acceptance of e-motorcycles for their low noise and zero emissions | Electrek

Navee is working to introduce shared e-scooters in China, where they are mostly banned. Partnering with the Suzhou government, Navee launched a pilot program to deploy 10,000 e-scooters, showcasing their safety and benefits. The project aims to shift perceptions and potentially influence national regulations. By controlling the project as the manufacturer, Navee seeks to demonstrate the viability of shared micromobility and set the stage for broader adoption across China | ZAGDaily

Ewan McGregor and Charley Boorman return with a new adventure in the Long Way series, riding 10,000 miles from Scotland to London on vintage motorcycles. Unlike their previous journey, which featured electric bikes, this installment focuses on the classic thrill of riding refurbished bikes through diverse and challenging terrains. The series promises a blend of breathtaking landscapes, cultural encounters, and the raw emotions of a true motorcycle adventure | RideApart

High-end racing bikes with wireless gear-shifting systems are vulnerable to hacking, posing risks in competitive events like the Tour de France. Researchers found that Shimano Di2 technology can be hacked from up to 10 meters away, allowing attackers to disrupt gear shifts or jam the system. This vulnerability could lead to crashes or injuries. Efforts are underway to patch these security flaws to protect cyclists and maintain the sport's integrity | The Verge

Product Launches & Updates

The JackRabbit OG2 is the upgraded version of the popular JackRabbit OG micro e-bike, known for its dedicated community. It features a stronger frame with a 275-lb weight capacity, improved foot pegs, a quick-release battery, and a new handlebar design for easy storage. Weighing just 25 lb, it offers a stable ride, 20 mph speed, and 10 miles per battery. Priced at $1,249, it's now available for purchase | Electrek

The Ford Mustang Mach-E set a new Guinness World Record by traveling 569 miles on a single charge, surpassing the previous record of 563 miles. This feat, achieved over 24 hours, highlights the car's efficiency and the potential of EV technology. The journey was meticulously documented, with Ford aiming to inspire more people to consider electric vehicles for everyday use. The Mustang Mach-E is now a benchmark in the EV industry | Electrek

Polestar has begun production of its luxury electric SUV, Polestar 3, in South Carolina, marking the first Polestar model manufactured in the USA. This move enhances their presence in the American market and supports exports to Europe. The Polestar 3 combines Scandinavian design with cutting-edge technology and advanced safety features. Production in South Korea will follow in 2025, further diversifying Polestar’s global manufacturing footprint | Polestar

Hyundai will debut its largest electric SUV, the IONIQ 9, at the Los Angeles Auto Show in November. Built on the E-GMP platform, the IONIQ 9 is Hyundai’s first three-row EV, initially produced in South Korea with plans to manufacture in Georgia, USA. Positioned as a flagship model, it aims to meet the growing demand for large electric SUVs in the U.S., combining spaciousness, advanced technology, and high performance | Electric Car Report

Mazda announced the EZ-6 electric sedan as its first global-market EV, launching in China in fall 2024, with Europe to follow. The EZ-6, a successor to the Mazda 6, features both all-electric and plug-in hybrid options with rear-wheel drive. It offers a 373-mile range (Chinese cycle) and advanced connectivity features like gesture controls. While U.S. sales are uncertain, the "global" label leaves the possibility open | Green Car Reports

Ridehailing, Carsharing, & Delivery 

Waymo's expansion plans for its robotaxi fleet face challenges due to new U.S. tariffs on Chinese EV imports. The Biden administration's proposed 100% tariff hike could impact Waymo’s Chinese-made Zeekr vehicles, intended as a cost-effective addition to its fleet. These trade policies, coupled with potential new restrictions on Chinese software in autonomous vehicles, may force Waymo to reconsider its deployment strategy in the U.S. market | The Verge

Waymo has expanded its robotaxi service beyond San Francisco, adding 10 square miles to its coverage, including Daly City, Broadmoor, and Colma. However, rides to San Francisco International Airport are not yet available. While Waymo offers a high-quality product, Harry Campbell, owner of The Rideshare Guy, notes that its pricing and ETAs are higher compared to UberX. As Waymo scales, it faces challenges in managing its fleet, a complex task compared to Uber’s dynamic, driver-owned model | The San Francisco Standard

Shake Shack in Los Angeles is now offering deliveries via Serve’s autonomous robots through Uber Eats. This partnership, part of Serve’s goal to deploy 2,000 robots by 2025, enhances delivery efficiency with secure, contactless service. The robots, featuring AI navigation and all-electric operation, promise timely, eco-friendly deliveries. This collaboration underscores Shake Shack’s commitment to innovation and marks a significant step in expanding autonomous delivery services across the U.S | PR Newswire

Waymo has addressed complaints about its robotaxi horns disturbing San Francisco residents. Originally intended to prevent collisions, the honking feature became a nuisance, especially when vehicles returned to the parking lot at night. Following feedback, Waymo has updated the software to reduce the noise and minimize disturbances for nearby residents. The company aims to balance safety with neighborhood considerations in its ongoing service improvements | Axios

Chinese startup WeRide has received approval to test driverless vehicles with passengers in California. The company holds permits for both drivered and driverless tests but cannot yet charge passengers. This approval comes as WeRide plans to go public and faces potential restrictions on Chinese connected vehicles due to national security concerns. Although testing in California is limited, WeRide aims to expand its autonomous vehicle technology | TechCrunch

Investment & Deals

Latvian startup BeTriton just pulled in €80k on Crowdcube to build out its electric amphibious RV rental fleet. Think Winnebago meets Tesla, but for lakes. It's a land-and-water combo, limited to freshwater, with a range of 100+ km overland and 30+ km on the water. Solar panels and dual electric motors power the beast. With rentals already live in Latvia and Switzerland, BeTriton's got its eyes on a European takeover | Tech.eu

Danielle Walsh, former head of HSBC's "Future Cities" project and chief data officer in 2018, launched her startup Clearly in 2021 to tackle the $1.75 trillion transportation decarbonization challenge. Clearly’s AI-driven platform, now tracking over 100 million trips, offers fleet operators actionable insights to optimize performance and reduce emissions. Recently, Clearly raised $4.3 million in seed funding led by Pace Ventures and Nine Realms, with blue-chip clients like Webfleet onboard, emphasizing the significant influence of driving behavior on fuel consumption | TechCrunch

Bike Matrix, a Kiwi startup, just scored NZ$2m to build a software fix for the bike parts mess. Their API-driven platform promises to match riders with the right parts, no guesswork. Think of it as Shazam for bike components. With a growing database and plans to expand into multiple languages, Bike Matrix is pedaling fast to disrupt the industry | ZAGDaily 

WeRide, a Guangzhou-based autonomous driving startup, plans a Nasdaq IPO to raise $120 million at a $5 billion valuation, alongside a $320 million private investment. Despite a $69 million net loss on $55 million in revenue last year, WeRide touts global operations across 30 cities in seven countries. Known for its robotaxi service, launched in 2019, the company also offers robobus, autonomous delivery vans, and robosweepers. With $1.1 billion already raised, WeRide's IPO could revitalize the sluggish tech IPO market | Crunchbase 

Gaussion, a UCL spinoff, raised $12M in Series A funding led by Autotech Ventures, with BGF and UCL Technology Fund. Their breakthrough enhances battery performance via an external magnetic field, enabling rapid charging and reducing cell degradation, crucial for EV adoption. This funding supports their market entry, including product production, sales, and potential technology licensing. Gaussion's solution, leveraging existing battery technologies without altering core components, promises scalable applications across EVs, construction, mining, and energy storage, unlocking electrification while maintaining affordability and performance | Tech.eu

Powerdot, a Portuguese EV charging outfit, just snagged €165m from a syndicate of banks to juice its ultra-fast charger network. This brings its total haul to €465m since February. The green-washed cash infusion will fund a blitz across Europe, with Spain, France, Belgium, Luxembourg, and Poland already in the crosshairs. It’s a classic land-grab play: build it fast, hope for profits later. The question is whether there’ll be enough juice left in the battery when the dust settles | Tech.eu

Cities & Policy

Texas sued GM, accusing the automaker of tricking car buyers into a misleading "safety" process to sell their driving data, violating consumer protection laws. Attorney General Ken Paxton seeks $10,000 per offense for every GM car sold in Texas since 2015, with $250,000 penalties for senior victims. This follows Texas' $1.4 billion Meta settlement over privacy issues | TechCrunch

Illinois has taken a significant step towards addressing the growing issue of battery waste with the passage of the Portable and Medium-Format Battery Stewardship Act. This legislation mandates that manufacturers of e-bike and e-scooter batteries establish recycling programs by 2026 | RideApart

NYC DOT Commissioner Ydanis Rodriguez announced the success of a five-month e-bike charging pilot under the Adams administration’s 'Charge Safe, Ride Safe' initiative. The program, with 120 delivery workers mostly in Manhattan, has facilitated 8,000 battery swaps and nearly 1,000 charges at five NYC locations, reducing home charging and fire risks. Collaborating with Swobbee, Swiftmile, and Popwheels, the initiative has recorded zero safety incidents. A final report will guide future micromobility infrastructure investments | NYC's DOT

Los Angeles Mayor Karen Bass plans a “no-car” 2028 Olympics, aiming to build a greener LA by expanding public transit. This ambitious goal follows Paris’s “greenest games ever” and contrasts sharply with LA's car-centric culture | Electrek 

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