Pontevedra: The City That Put People Before Cars | Sep 29th, 2023

Also, Honda will exhibit a new electric sports car at the Japan Mobility Show, Bo has started production of its e-scooter Bo M, and Mercedes-Benz is launching Drive Pilot, the first SAE Level 3 system

Issue [#206] - Every week, we deliver analysis and curation of emerging mobility news - post a job listing here!

Micromobility

Pontevedra, a Spanish coastal city, suffered from cars crowding its old streets. However, Mayor Miguel Fernández Lores recognized that the primary issue was too many cars. Soon after he was elected in 1999, Lores restricted cars and parking in the old town and other areas, sending traffic to the city’s outskirts. Today, Pontevedra is a shining example of urban revitalization, as it is part of a global movement to prioritize pedestrians over vehicles | Bloomberg 

According to the latest Q2 2023 European Shared Mobility Index from Fluctuo, e-scooter ridership has decreased by 10% for the first time in four years. This decline is caused by a variety of factors, including an oversupply of e-scooters in markets with lax regulations and tighter restrictions on parking, speed limits, and deployment areas in other markets | ZAGDaily

A new funding round of €1.5 million has been secured by Scoozy, a startup from Delft that creates mobility products. They will develop a new product with this funding that will appeal to a bigger market, which is expected to be ready by the end of next year. They have already released Scoozy C, a better option than the mobility scooter as it is modern, safe, and can go on any terrain | Scoozy

According to StreetLight Data, cycling has increased significantly in the US since the pandemic began. The average daily number of bike trips per year rose by 37% from 2019 to 2022. This growth was mainly driven by 2020 and 2021, while 2022 saw no change. The report warns that to keep the momentum going, it is essential to invest more in infrastructure that supports safe and active transportation | Bloomberg

Take a look inside at Perch Mobility’s charging portals in Austin | LinkedIn

Fayetteville city officials are utilizing a new tool called CycleRAP to ensure the safety of their cycling infrastructure. CycleRAP is a risk-assessment tool designed to identify high-risk areas where cyclists and light-mobility users are most likely to get into accidents. By utilizing this tool, transport officials, policymakers, and urban planners can work together to prevent collisions that result in serious injury or even death | The New York Times 

Product Launches & Updates

A new electric sports car will be one of the new products and tech that Honda will show at the Japan Mobility Show next month. Honda says the new electric sports car will make the driver feel the pure joy of driving. The concept car will demonstrate how Honda is always chasing the joy of driving and how it reflects Honda’s special sports attitude and traits. Although the car was under wraps, the car appeared to have a low-profile shape and looked similar to the NSX model | Electrek

Introducing Revolve Air, the revolutionary travel wheelchair designed to fold down to the size of cabin luggage. You can now secure your pre orders on Kickstarter, priced at $4,999. The anticipated future retail price is estimated at $7,500, though it may be adjusted based on the Kickstarter campaign's success. What truly sets Revolve Air apart is not only its compact foldable design but also its remarkable feature: even the wheels can fold up | TechCrunch

Nissan is offering a sneak peek into its upcoming lineup with the introduction of a new sporty urban EV concept. This sleek electric hatchback is a glimpse of what's to come as the automaker plans to go completely electric in Europe by 2030. The Concept 20-23 is packed with performance and next-gen design features, including an aggressive front lip spoiler, roof air scoop, massive rear wing, wheel arch covers, oversized air vents, side skirts, circular LED headlights in the front and rear, and butterfly doors | Electrek

Bo, a British company that makes e-scooters, has started producing its Bo M model after two years of engineering and design work. The Bo M is inspired by luxury cars like Tesla and was created by former Formula One engineers and a Jaguar Land Rover designer. It costs £2,249 and has Bo Safesteer technology for a smooth and stable ride. Moreover, it also has a powerful motor and innovative features for a sophisticated riding experience | ZAGDaily

After many delays, Tesla has finally broken ground on its first restaurant, combined of course with a Supercharger site. Located in Hollywood, the site will feature 32 chargers, two movie screens, a rooftop bar and carhop-style service. Check out the exclusive construction photos | OttOmate

Ridehailing, Carsharing & Delivery

Drive Pilot is a new feature from Mercedes-Benz that lets you drive hands-free and eyes-free on highways when the traffic is slow. It is the first system of its kind to achieve SAE Level 3, which means it can handle most driving tasks under certain conditions. You can enjoy this feature on the electric EQS fastback and the gas-powered S-Class sedan, but only when the system detects that it is safe to do so | The Verge

Prashanth Mahendra-Rajah, the CFO of a semiconductor company called Analog Devices, will become Uber’s new chief financial officer on November 13. Uber announced this on Wednesday. Uber is facing slow growth after a brief recovery in ridership when the pandemic eased. Mahendra-Rajah will join Uber at this challenging time | CNN

Twelve years ago, the taxi industry saw Uber as a threat when it began its ride-hailing service. Today, it seems to be an ally. Uber has struck a multiyear agreement with Los Angeles Yellow Cab and five other taxi fleets in Southern California. This will allow taxi drivers to receive more trip requests from Uber in Los Angeles, Orange, and San Diego counties | TechCrunch 

Investment & Deals

Arc, an electric boat startup, dives into the watersports industry with a recent infusion of $70 million in funding | TechCrunch

Following a significant stock collapse, scooter company Bird has been delisted from the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and will now be traded over the counter | CNBC

Iceland's drone startup Flygildi comes out of stealth with a birdlike silent drone and $2.2M in seed funding | Tech.eu

Jaguar has recently entered into an agreement with Tesla, granting them access to the extensive Supercharger network. As part of the deal, the British automaker has also committed to utilizing the Tesla-designed NACS connector specifically in North America |  Electrek 

Cities & Policy

Residents of the city and county of Denver are eligible for a point-of-sale rebate of $300 when purchasing an e-bike or up to $500 when purchasing an e-cargo bike | CBS News

Pittsburgh introduces an adaptive bike share fleet that features various specialized bikes, including a recumbent bicycle and a front-loading cargo bike | Planetizen

As the next round of London's e-scooter trials begins, the city is considering the development of a single, integrated system to manage dockless e-bikes and e-scooters | ZAGDaily 

Despite Ford pausing its intentions to build a $3.5 billion EV battery factory in collaboration with CATL, the move has not relieved the pressure faced by the automaker from Republican U.S. lawmakers. These lawmakers are currently conducting an investigation into Ford's agreement with the Chinese company | TechCrunch

New Products, Features, and Data Points

Vivian Myrtetus, an industry expert at Zag and Partner at Converge Transport, analyzes the autonomous vehicle landscape in the US to determine the timeline for when this technology will achieve mainstream adoption | ZAGDaily

Hyundai collaborates with Norwegian startup Casi to provide car subscription services in Europe, aligning with the emerging trend often referred to as the "Netflix for cars." | Tech.eu

EVgo is actively addressing concerns regarding slow and malfunctioning EV chargers in an effort to improve customer experience. With its ReNew program, EVgo aims to enhance the reliability of its charging stations, making longer trips in electric vehicles (EVs) more feasible and convenient for users | The Verge

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