The butterfly effect of going electric | December 30, 2022

Also, Sustainable mobility with CAKE Makka e-moped, Baidu’s robotaxis provide nighttime service, Volkswagen introducing its new electric vehicle, and Automotus closes a $9 million seed investment.

Issue [#168] - Every week, we deliver analysis and curation of emerging mobility news - post a job listing here!

Micromobility

Forget the gas-guzzling SUV and go electric! Get yourself an affordable cargo bike - perfect for eco-friendly transport on a budget / Electrek

E-biking is on the rise these days, especially in the United States. From pedal-assist bikes from businesses like Propel and Citi Bike to throttle-propelled ones from Joulvert, there’s no stopping you from going electric and enjoying taking off on two wheels! / The New Yorker

Ever wonder what all the electric bike talk is about? Here’s your crash course – from pedal assist to throttle only, understanding each category can make all the difference in choosing that perfect ride / Jalopnik

Tel Aviv, Israel is a city of the future - from its innovative public transportation scene to its high-tech micromobility options. It's an exciting place for urban travelers / ZAGDaily

It's 2023 and micromobility is about to revolutionize the way we get around. E-bikes are being subsidized, companies consolidating their fleets of bikes & scooters, and IPOs popping up left & right - all thanks to incredible advances in tech! Get ready for a wild ride.../ TechCrunch

Product Launches & Updates

Available in two models, CAKE Makka electric moped is the ultimate commuter that represents the Swedish e-bike company’s passion for efficient yet sustainable mobility / Global Design News

With a 500W motor, 20mph maximum speed, and 50-mile range, this ultra-fast A-frame Bird electric bike can get you anywhere in the city while perfectly dodging the rush-hour traffic! / New Atlas

Ride into the future with Ola. The renowned transportation giant is hitting us up in 2024, bringing electric scooters and e-bikes to our cities / AutoCar

Exciting news for Volkswagen fans! The German motor vehicle manufacturer will debut the camouflaged version of its new electric vehicle at the upcoming Consumer Electronics Show (CES) on January 3rd, 2023 / InsideEVs

Ridehailing, Carsharing & Delivery

This Lyft driver earned only 52 percent of what his passengers paid in a week, with a “take rate” of 48 percent by the ride-hailing company, and wonders why Lyft is still claiming to lose money / Slate

Citizens of Wuhan, China, can now ride Baidu’s robotaxis at nighttime too! The leading Chinese technology company has changed the time frame from 9 am-5 pm to 7 am-11 pm / TechCrunch

In its fourth annual report, Fairwork India, a research firm, reprimanded companies like Uber, Amazon, Ola, and PharmEasy for their unfair working environments for gig workers in India / TechCrunch

Investment & Deals

A four-year-old firm called Automotus has just closed a $9 million seed investment to improve its automated curb management solution. According to the business, their technology can cut pollutants and traffic by up to 10% / TechCrunch

German Bionic, a business developing AI-driven robotic exoskeletons and other intelligent wearables, has raised €15 million in venture debt / Tech.eu

Bird Global Inc., a failing e-scooter operator, and Bird Canada, a privately held and operated Canadian micromobility startup, intend to join in a deal for $64 million / Oversharing

A French startup called Vianova is developing a data platform for both local governments and shared mobility businesses. The business serves as a data warehouse and a dashboard for data visualization / TechCrunch

The growth increase by Eco-Movement brings to a close a year that saw cost pressures on EV charging providers as a result of Europe's energy crisis, which in turn affected EV electricity costs / Tech.eu

Cities & Policy

In order to increase the use of bicycles on city sidewalks, control the use of micro-mobility devices (such skateboards or electric scooters), and provide dismount zones for this equipment, the Clemson Local Council approved amendments to city ordinances / WYFF

Similar to many other European towns, Barcelona mainly relies on motorbikes to get its residents where they need to go / RideApart

New Products, Features, and Data Points

A new study from the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) questions the emission benefits of plug-in hybrids as they are not plugged in regularly, and their real-world emissions are still considered high / Green Car Reports

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