Reinventing street parking | September 16, 2022

Plus, innovators brought solar-powered vehicles to Venezuela, tech startups are ready to monetize the curb, and have you ever tried electric rollerblades?

Issue [#154] - Every week, we deliver analysis and curation of emerging mobility news - post a job listing here!

Micromobility

While new technological advances allow us to travel farther and faster, our daily travel time remains limited to 1-1.5 hours. In this article, Horace Dediu discusses what investigators describe as our "time budget." / Mobility

“If people had to pay for street parking, it would bring in money to pay for local repairs, infrastructure, and beautification.” According to American professor and author Donald Shoup, free parking is detrimental to cities, and drivers should no longer be subsidized at the expense of everyone else / Bloomberg

In the US, there is no driving test for self-driving cars - but what if there was? Would that improve safety? / The Verge

In the event of a big earthquake, cargo bikes will be there to save the day / Wired

The once wealthy oil city of Maracaibo in Venezuela is home to two innovators who have come up with an alternative mode of transportation: small electric and solar-powered vehicles / Reuters

According to Eurostat's newest report, 2021 saw the EU export €921 million of bicycles (both electric and non-electric) to countries outside its borders but import €1896 million from other countries / Cycling Industry

Take a look at Kav Sports' new 3D-printed helmet. A KAV Portola helmet is custom-made to fit your exact measurements. The helmet fits kit will be mailed to you once your order has been placed, followed by a virtual one-on-one fitting session to establish your custom helmet measurements / TechCrunch

Consumers worldwide are increasingly interested in micromobility and it could be the foundation of urban transportation in the near future. Kersten Heineke, a McKinsey partner, talks to global editorial director Lucia Rahilly about micromobility, why it's gaining popularity, and how cities can prepare for the future / Mckinsey & Company

In the wake of the pandemic, startups are fighting to disrupt the parking sector, claiming that real-time data-driven parking will result in fewer vehicles on the road and more revenues for cities / Bloomberg

Product Launches & Updates

The Optibike Powerstorm MBB, a high-powered motor designed by Colorado-based Optibike, claims to be better than any other motor available in its weight category / Electrek

We’ve seen all kinds of EVs plunge into the streets in recent years. From e-scooters to e-bikes and electric skateboards, we’ve seen it all. Or that’s what we thought until we saw Escend’s new electric rollerblades. The blades feature 4-inch (105mm) diameter shock-absorbing tires and a range of about 10 miles, a top speed of 16 mph, and two 400-watt motors. / TechCrunch

Three designers recently unveiled their concept e-bike 'Hydra' powered by hydrogen, the most abundant resource on earth. This hypothetical motorcycle runs on hydrogen fuel cells instead of lithium-ion batteries, emitting heat and water rather than fumes / Designboom

The Aventon Level.2 is newly updated and elevated for $150 more than the original model. The new Level.2 uses the same aluminum frame as the previous version, but it includes a torque sensor that was not available in its predecessor. This sensor ensures that the Level.2 motor can efficiently deliver all 750 watts of power / Auto Evolution

As part of Honda's sustainability efforts, the Japanese automaker plans to release ten new electric motorcycles by 2025 / Electrek

Unagi has canceled the production of its Model Eleven scooter. Fortunately, the company just released a new electric scooter that adds more range to entice commuters / The Verge

Ridehailing, Carsharing & Delivery

Model M2 drone delivery drones from Matternet have been approved by the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), becoming “the first non-military unmanned aircraft to achieve Type Certification” / The Verge

In urban delivery, cargo bikes can replace much heavier vehicles. But do you really need a cargo bike for personal use? Bart Hawkins takes a dive into the world of last-mile delivery and explains his argument against buying cargo bikes for personal use / An Outside Chance

DoorDash is Starbucks' new delivery partner, as the coffee giant plans to expand nationwide in 2023 / TechCrunch

Uber’s Comfort Electric service is now available in 14 more cities in North America, bringing the total number of markets to 25 / The Verge

Investment & Deals

United Airlines has invested $15 million in Eve Air Mobility, an electric aviation startup owned by Brazilian aircraft manufacturer Embraer. The deal involves United purchasing 200 of Eve's electric air taxis, which seat four people and land vertically like helicopters / The Verge

Build Back Better Regional Challenge, a $1 billion initiative under the American Rescue Plan, will help build mass timber homes, support advanced mobility manufacturing, and much more / Smart Cities Dive

FTA announced that it has awarded $35 million in construction grants to Raleigh, North Carolina, for its bus rapid transit line on New Bern Avenue / Intelligent Transport

The Federal Highway Administration (FHWA) has approved the first 35 state highway EV charging programs. According to the FHWA, approval of these state plans unlocks approximately $900 million in NEVI formula funding over the next two years to contribute toward the construction of EV chargers along about 53,000 miles of highway / Smart Cities Dive

As part of a Series A round, TeraWatt Infrastructure has secured over $1 billion to expand its portfolio of charging stations for electric vehicles / TechCrunch

The mobility technology company Magna International Inc. led an $82 million Series B round of funding for Yulu, a startup that provides shared mobility services / Your Story

Cities & Policy

Two US Senators are planning to introduce an amendment to a funding bill allowing federal regulators to exempt tens of thousands of vehicles from providing traditional controls for human drivers. Under the amendment, the NHTSA would be able to exempt certain safety standards from 15,000 vehicles per manufacturer / The Verge

Cruise, GM's self-driving technology arm, will launch commercial robotaxi services in Austin and Phoenix / TechCrunch

California's attorney general has accused Amazon of violating California's antitrust laws because of its allegedly anti-competitive pricing / TechCrunch

Introducing CleanEnergy.gov, the Biden administration's new website to help Americans navigate the new green energy tax credits in the Inflation Reduction Act of 2022 (IRA). Suppose you're interested in buying a new electric vehicle but are confused by all the new requirements regarding the battery and assembly process. In that case, you may find this new website helpful / The Verge

Jobs Board

Here’s a selection of job openings from our partners. Want to see your listing here? Click here for pricing/details.

Transportation Policy Analyst - California Public Utilities Commission - United States

Senior Transportation Policy Analyst - California Public Utilities Commission - United States

Senior Transportation Data Analyst - California Public Utilities Commission - United States

Chief of Staff - Pronto - San Francisco, USA

Product Lead - Lean - United States (Remote)

Technical Project Manager - Drover AI - Cincinnati Metropolitan Area (Hybrid)

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