VanMoof goes bankrupt: What does the future hold? | July 21st, 2023
Plus, Velotric rolled two utility e-bikes, Micro will launch Microlino in the French market, CAKE is collaborating with Stallons Motor, and Volkswagen ID. Buzz AD will be tested on public roads in Ger
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Micromobility
VanMoof is in a financial predicament, and to aid the VanMoof community of riders during this time, Cowboy Bikes came forward with an app, Bikey. The app, still in the Beta version, will allow VanMoof riders 'to generate their unique digital key' and was developed in case the VanMoof servers become unavailable for the riders / Tech.eu
The major US bike-share systems have continued to expand due to the rise in bicycling during the epidemic, increasing up to 27% in 2022 in six US cities, contrary to the pre-pandemic levels. While e-bike ridership is booming, cycling enthusiasts are expressing their concerns over the rising prices of e-bikes as well as the lack of appropriate cycling infrastructure, both of which are a source of hesitation for many people to buy their own two wheels / Bloomberg
VanMoof has encountered severe financial headwinds, so it has suspended many of its operations. Reportedly, it also formally announced bankruptcy after just a week into the administrative process. While the company is still claiming to keep its bikes' functional and rideable,' concerns are being raised as to why a company with an established background is going out of business even after the e-bike sales picked up after COVID-19 / TechCrunch
Lectric eBikes, the market leader in the e-bike space, collaborated with Beast Philanthropy, a non-profit organization that raises funds by leveraging social media, to distribute more than a thousand e-bikes to those in need. Under this project, Lectric donated cargo e-bikes to water delivery workers in Kenya to aid the effective delivery of clean water from the desalination plants to homes directly / PR Newswire
Product Launches & Updates
Meet the X-OTO, the electric scooter that doesn't require a motorcycle license, has three wheels, and leans as well! This new ride is already causing a stir around the U.S. thanks to its unique design and features. With a top speed of 45 mph, a 4.3 kWh of battery capacity, a 4,000W front hub motor, and a self-stabilizing system that leans the scooter up to 45 degrees, it will likely become the front-runner for many beginners / Electrek
Get ready to meet Velotric's latest pair of utility e-bikes, Velotric Go and Velotric Packer! While the two bikes share features like 48V 14.4 Ah UL2271 certified batteries and 690 Wh of capacity, four-piston hydraulic disc brakes, Apple Find My integration, etc., they also differ in cargo load, motor power, and torque. Nevertheless, both are here to make their mark in the utility e-bike market / Electrek
Costco shoppers, don't be surprised if you see a Bugatti electric scooter at your nearby Costco warehouse! Yes, surprisingly, Costco is now selling Bugatti e-scooters, and with a 20 mph speed, side blinkers, a front light, and a price tag of only $900, it might become the daily commuting vehicle everyone needs! / Apartment Therapy
This summer, Micro will launch its fully electric, compact bubble quadricycle Microlino on the French market. Weighing around 500 kg, 2.5m long, having a seating capacity of two and 230-liter boot space, it's easy to park and can fulfill daily urban commuting purposes. What sets it apart from its competitors is its steel and aluminum unibody construction which gives it more safety and durability / ZAGDaily
Tesla's long-awaited, futuristic-looking pickup truck appears just before the company's 2023 second-quarter earnings call. First revealed in 2019, the Cybertruck was originally planned for production and delivery in 2021, but multiple delays extended the launch timing to summer 2023. After its debut, the pickup truck will confront rivals like Ford's F-150 Lightning, Chevrolet Silverado EV, and the Rivian R1T in this particular category / TechCrunch
Ridehailing, Carsharing & Delivery
While all the lithium-ion battery fires in New York City are not linked to the on-demand delivery industry, delivery workers are at a higher risk of fire than the average e-bike owner because they are more likely to buy cheap e-bikes and batteries that aren't certified, and spend hours a day riding bikes all over the city. Companies like DoorDash, Uber, and Grubhub have taken initiatives to help gig workers, but there's still much more to do to make it more sustainable for them / TechCrunch
The highest court in California ruled on Monday that Uber Technologies Inc. (UBER.N) must defend against a lawsuit alleging that it owes UberEats drivers compensation for work-related expenditures. The verdict, delivered after Erik Adolph, an UberEats driver, sued the company in 2019, might be a huge setback for businesses in the biggest U.S. state and a victory for labor groups / Reuters
The self-driving Volkswagen ID. Buzz AD (Autonomous Driving), currently being tested in North America, will soon start its test drives on public roads and at the test site in Munich, Germany. Classified as Level 4 vehicles and equipped with cameras, radar, and lidar technology, the test vehicles will help the company gather data after studying various traffic scenarios on public roads / InsideEVs
Investment & Deals
In a deal worth $280 million, the German autonomous driving technology provider ASAP Group has been acquired by India's HCLTech. The acquisition was primarily made in cash and has resulted in HCLTech fully taking over the German automotive engineering services provider ASAP / Tech.eu
Lilium raises $192M in shares sale with Earlybird leading, and Tencent matching its $75M promise, ensuring the company's continuity / Tech.eu
Huq Industries, a mobility intelligence firm that offers precise footfall and visitor frequency data to local councils, retailers, and real estate developers, has raised £4 million in equity funding. The funding was led by 24 Haymarket and supported by ACF Investors / Just Entrepreneurs
Tesla's current and former board members, including Elon Musk and Larry Ellison, have agreed to return $735 million to settle allegations of excessive compensation / Engadget
Swedish electric motorcycle manufacturer, CAKE, has announced a major collaboration in Thailand with Stallions Motor (STL Group Holdings Co., Ltd), a prominent motorcycle manufacturer and dealer / CAKE
Cities & Policy
The HF 2887 bill, which spans across 250 pages and nearly $9 billion in total spending, contains a plethora of legislation that is likely to appeal to numerous supporters of sustainable transportation / StreetBlogsUSA
The proposed $75 billion initiative to significantly enhance passenger rail service in the US has the potential to revolutionize train travel across the country, provided that states are willing to participate / Bloomberg
California senators have made progress in implementing regulations on driverless trucks through Assembly Bill 316. The bill proposes restrictions on when autonomous trucking operations can commence, although some legislators have indicated that a complete ban may not be permanent / SmartCitiesDive
New Products, Features, and Data Points
The Digital Drive system for electric bicycles eliminates the physical connection between pedals and wheel, using a generator to send power to the wheel. Schaeffler's Free Drive is one example. The technology allows for more creative bike designs, but concerns remain about reliability if the motor or battery fails / InsideEVs
Cowboy, a Belgian e-bike manufacturer, has introduced a new premium software package for improved safety and communication / ZAGDaily
Volkswagen has confirmed that it is currently developing a wireless electric car charging technology using its own patented coil and charging pad design, utilizing silicon-carbide materials / Green Car Reports
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