Micromobility Boom: Regulation is an uphill battle for Governments | June 09, 2023
Also, Apollo Electric Scooters is rolling out the Apollo Explore 2024 soon, ROAM has launched a electric motorcycle charging station the ROAM Hub, and Uber introduced new product features recently.
Issue [#192] - Every week, we deliver analysis and curation of emerging mobility news - post a job listing here!
Micromobility
CEOs of micromobility firms Tembici, Swing, Fenix, and Dott shared their strategies for profitability at a recent panel. Swing has been profitable due to the lack of fleet size restrictions and careful handling of vehicles. Fenix is close to profitability through cost control and revenue optimization. Dott focuses on capital efficiency, while Tembici has positive EBITDA due to its diversified business model. There is no one-size-fits-all model for profitability in the micromobility industry / ZAGDaily
The popularity of micromobility options such as e-scooters and rental bicycles is rapidly increasing in cities around the world. These new transportation options offer advantages like reduced carbon emissions and improved connections for last-mile travel. However, they also present new challenges for traffic management and safety / Traffic Technology Today
Have you ever wondered how micro-mobility services can be made more accessible for disabled people? TIER Mobility is leading the charge in this area. Georgia Heathman, Head of Public Policy, Safety & Inclusion at TIER Mobility, recently discussed the importance of designing services with an accessibility lens. TIER Mobility is partnering with start-ups like Omni to develop wheelchair-accessible e-scooters and collaborating with UCL to create a universal sound for e-scooters. With solutions across marketing, community engagement, network design, and new technologies and products, TIER Mobility is paving the way for a more inclusive future in urban mobility / Intelligent Transport
A new global mobility company called Today has been formed by merging six micromobility brands: Frog, Leap, Ottr, Element, MIXTE, and White Fox. Owned by venture capitalist fund EFO Ventures, Today aims to provide customers with an "entire value chain" of hardware and mobility-as-a-service (MaaS) solutions in Europe and North America. The company's commercial fleet includes 8,000 vehicles such as e-scooters, e-bikes, e-cargo bikes, and e-mopeds / ZAGDaily
Product Launches & Updates
The new Volvo EX30 might be the least expensive modern EV on the market, but it certainly doesn't offer less in terms of technology! The electric SUV boasts Volvo's standard safety equipment and two capable powertrain options with a single 12.3-inch touchscreen located in the center console. This tiny SUV is also equipped with a driver alert system, a 64.0-kWh battery, as well as simple but appealing interior aesthetics / TechCrunch
Eric Hicks, the founder and CEO of LunaCycles, recently used Facebook to give a sneak peek of the company's upcoming electric moto bike, the "Talaria XXX." The bike will be released on Saturday at 8 a.m. PT on Luna's website and Facebook channel. Priced at $2995, the Talaria XXX is expected to be a game-changer in the electric motorbike market / Electrek
Apollo Electric Scooters is set to launch the Apollo Explore 2024, a new model that promises to revolutionize the premium commuter segment with game-changing features. These include a foldable foot platform for enhanced ride stability and a sleek profile when folded, a quick-swappable battery system for effortless battery replacement, and dual 500W motors for an ultimate riding experience / Apollo
Meta is currently experimenting with adding Reels to its virtual reality headset, the Meta Quest. This addition offers a unique viewing experience compared to other options on the headset. The update was announced by Mark Zuckerberg, Meta's founder, and CEO, through a video on Meta's Instagram Channel. This update comes before the release of Meta Quest 3 in the fall and after Apple announced its new AR/VR Vision Pro headset. It is currently unknown when Reels will become available on all Meta Quest headsets / Engadget
Ridehailing, Carsharing & Delivery
According to an incident report filed with the California Department of Motor Vehicles, a Waymo robotaxi driving in autonomous mode collided with and killed a small dog last month in San Francisco. The occurrence appears to have been inevitable, as the evidence suggests in the report. Taking into account the preexistent conflict between municipal authorities, AV tech companies, and the public, this incident might create more hindrances to AV commercialization in the city / TechCrunch
Uber recently unveiled new product features at an event in London. These features are aimed at steering customers toward greener choices and boosting the company's chances of reaching its sustainability goals. Uber has set a goal to go completely carbon neutral in North America and Europe by 2030 and in all global markets by 2040 / The Verge
Uber, Lyft, DoorDash, and other app-based ride-hailing and delivery firms may be required to compensate California gig workers for unpaid vehicle expenditures between 2022 and 2023, presumably in the millions of dollars. However, not every driver can anticipate the backpay, except those driving for Uber Eats, DoorDash, and other food delivery platforms, who largely depend on tips for extra earnings / TechCrunch
Investment & Deals
Shippr, a Belgian scale-up, has started operations in London and has plans for further expansion in the UK. The company connects businesses with a network of independent couriers and transport companies to provide personalized same-day delivery solutions. Shippr's platform simplifies delivery management with route optimization and real-time tracking features. The company recently raised €10 million in funding and is dedicated to sustainability / ZAGDaily
Curri, a tech platform that provides last-mile logistics for the construction industry, recently secured $42 million in a Series B funding round. The round was led by Bessemer Venture Partners and will be used to further develop the platform. Curri was founded in 2018 by Matt Lafferty and Brian Gonzalez to help customers reduce operational costs and increase sales. The platform offers a range of logistics services and has a nationwide fleet capable of delivering a variety of loads, from heavy machinery to smaller items such as pipes and pallets / TechCrunch
Luna Systems, a Dublin-based company offering safety solutions for shared micromobility, partnered with Segway-Ninebot. Segway's new open platform and its retrofit camera-based solutions will be integrated with Luna's high-accuracy algorithmic solutions / Tech.eu
General Motors (GM) is set to invest over $500 million in its assembly plant in Arlington, Texas. This investment aims to ready the facility for the production of next-generation full-size SUVs powered by internal combustion engines. Alongside this announcement, GM is embarking on a series of initiatives to retool existing auto plants across North America and introduce more efficient internal combustion models in response to stricter emissions regulations enforced by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and California. According to sources, the total value of the investments to be disclosed this month by GM is estimated to be around $3 billion / Reuters
River, an Indian electric vehicle (EV) manufacturer, recently secured a significant investment of $15 million. Al Futtaim Group, a renowned multinational company based in Dubai, spearheaded the funding round. In an official statement released on Tuesday, River expressed their confidence that this infusion of capital will significantly enhance their expansion efforts. Specifically, it will enable the company to strengthen its manufacturing and distribution networks in preparation for the highly anticipated launch of EV deliveries in August 2023 / Technode Global
Norwegian start-up Aviant has introduced Kyte, a drone home delivery service based in Trondheim. Covering a radius of over 30 km, Kyte utilizes an app to deliver groceries, ready meals, and light medicines. The company has also secured €1 million in public funding from Innovation Norway to facilitate the direct delivery of prescription medicines to remote and suburban areas. Founded by three MIT students, Aviant has already showcased its capabilities, transporting blood samples and equipment for windmill farms in extreme temperatures as low as -26 °C / Tech.eu
Cities & Policy
Carter Lavin, a Bay-area activist, is training people to campaign for better sustainable transportation policies in their towns. Lavin's mission is to give people the skills, vision, and capacity to advocate for change. He offers free online training and opportunities to sponsor other activists. In an interview with Streetsblog USA, Lavin discusses his work and how to get involved / Streetsblog USA
Seleta Reynolds, LA Metro's chief innovation officer, recently spoke on the CityAge podcast. During the discussion, she compared the construction of bike and bus lanes to the destruction of neighborhoods for freeway construction. She questioned whether current transportation officials are doing better than their predecessors who destroyed black and brown neighborhoods to build freeways without involving those communities / Vice
Minnesota is taking a big step towards fighting climate change by investing in e-bike rebates. This program aims to make e-bikes more accessible to low-income neighborhoods by offering up to 75% of the cost rebates, with a maximum of $1500. Research shows that e-bikes produce only 1/70th of the emissions of gas-powered cars. This initiative could have a significant impact on the environment and improve the quality of life for residents / Fox9
The Biden administration has proposed a new rule requiring all new cars and SUVs to have automatic emergency braking systems. The NHTSA estimates this could save 300+ lives and avoid 24,000 injuries yearly. However, benefits are years away as the rule is subject to public comment and review. Automakers would have three years to begin installing the technology and four years to fully meet the standards / Washington Post
New Products, Features, and Data Points
Drover AI has joined Segway Pilot to integrate its computer vision and AI software into its vehicles and platform. Segway's AI-equipped vehicles will benefit from Drover AI's software for pavement detection, parking compliance, ARAS, and other AI/CV services / ZAGDaily
ROAM, a prominent electric mobility company in Kenya, has launched the ROAM Hub – a versatile electric motorcycle charging station. The first ROAM Hub has been opened in Nairobi county and is partially powered by solar energy. The hub offers services such as battery swaps, fast charging, and maintenance. It is specifically designed to cater to the needs of boda-boda operators – a large motorcycle taxi industry / Electrek
In an exciting collaboration announced during a Twitter Spaces livestream, Ford CEO Jim Farley and Tesla CEO Elon Musk revealed that Ford electric vehicle (EV) owners will soon have access to Tesla's extensive EV charging network. Starting next year, Ford EV owners in the United States will be able to utilize Tesla's 12,000 Supercharger stations, renowned for their fast charging capabilities, through Ford's mobile app. This partnership marks a significant step forward in expanding charging infrastructure accessibility and enhancing the convenience for EV owners / CNN
Cowboy, an e-bike manufacturer, has updated its app to include Google Maps as its navigation tool. This change is expected to enhance the riding experience for users. The updated app displays features such as speed, battery life, and calories burned alongside the familiar Google Maps interface. According to Cowboy's co-founder and CTO Tanguy Goretti, this is just the first step in their collaboration with Google, with more features to be announced in the fall / The Verge
Tesla has made an important update on its website, indicating that all new Tesla Model 3 vehicles are now eligible for the complete federal EV tax credit of $7,500, as confirmed by the U.S. government. Congress implemented these tax credits last August through the Inflation Reduction Act, aiming to reduce dependence on China for batteries. The $7,500 tax credit is divided into two components: $3,750 can be claimed if 50% of the battery components' value is produced or assembled in North America, while the remaining half requires 40% of critical materials' value to be sourced from the U.S. or another free trade agreement country / TechCrunch
Jobs Board
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Director of Partnerships & Development at Open Mobility Foundation – Remote, US
SMART Collaborative Program Manager (Contract) at Open Mobility Foundation – Remote, US
Tech Development Specialist (Contract) at Open Mobility Foundation – Remote, US
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