Vay Takes the Wheel: Teledriving Hits Las Vegas Streets | January 19th, 2024
Vay Takes the Wheel: Teledriving Hits Las Vegas Streets | January 19th, 2024
Plus, Jeep is set for its US electric vehicle debut with the all-electric Wagoneer S and Uber is shutting down Drizly.
Issue [#222] - Every week, we deliver analysis and curation of emerging mobility news - post a job listing here!
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Product Launches & Updates
Berlin-based startup Vay is launching a teledriving car service in Las Vegas, offering an alternative to traditional ride-sharing. Users can order an electric car through the Vay app, and a teledriver remotely brings the vehicle to the user. The per-minute rental model provides flexibility, allowing users to drive themselves and hand the car back to a remote driver for parking or the next user. And as Harry Campbell, Founder of The Rideshare Guy, highlights, ‘this could be a real threat to traditional rideshare and robo-taxis’ | Venture Beat
Jeep is gearing up for its US electric vehicle debut with the all-electric Wagoneer S, set to hit the market in the fall. Boasting 600 horsepower, a lightning-fast 0 to 60 mph time of 3.5 seconds, and a projected 400 miles of range, the Wagoneer S signals Jeep's entry into the EV industry, with plans for subsequent releases including the rugged Recon EV inspired by the Wrangler | Electrek
Springtime Design's "Dispatch," a unique electric vehicle positioned between a cargo bike and a small commercial vehicle, aims to address the evolving urban landscape. With cities embracing low-speed limits and reduced reliance on large cargo vehicles on bike paths, Dispatch offers a road-specific, fully electric solution for last-mile delivery, combining agility and eco-friendliness | ZAGDaily
Tesla's Cybertruck, once hailed as an off-road marvel, now faces skepticism. Videos question Elon Musk's drag race claims, hinting the Cybertruck might not be as speedy as portrayed. Additionally, users are reporting range issues, with one owner towing a load experiencing a drastic reduction in battery life, challenging Tesla's portrayal of the Cybertruck as a towing powerhouse | The Verge
Micromobility
This episode of The #CitiesFirst Podcast delves into the Dutch approach to investing in mobility, exploring Amsterdam's vibrant ecosystem for startups and investors. Thijn, a Venture Capital Investor at No Such Ventures, will discuss the "Dutch Way," emphasizing the Triple Helix model's role, offering insights for founders aligning with post-COVID urban dynamics, and addressing the synergy between sustainable mobility plans and private sector innovation | The #CitiesFirst Podcast
Despite setbacks in the shared sustainable transport industry, including operational halts and financial issues for major players, Beryl, a UK-based micromobility company, maintains an optimistic outlook. The company also emphasizes the need for supportive legislation, financial frameworks, and city collaboration to unlock the full potential of shared active travel modes | ZAGDaily
The Los Angeles Department of Transportation and LA Metro have initiated a groundbreaking Universal Basic Mobility (UBM) experiment, providing 1,000 South Los Angeles residents with a "mobility wallet" loaded with $150 monthly for transportation. Participants can spend the funds on public transport, shared e-scooters, car-sharing, Uber, Lyft, or even e-bike purchases, but not on car ownership or operation | NextCity
Fluctuo, a leading European aggregator of shared mobility data, has analyzed the evolution of dockless bikes, scooters, and mopeds in Europe from 2020 to 2023. The data-driven insights provide a credible forecast for 2024, addressing the financial viability of operators, potential growth areas, and the overall trajectory of the shared mobility market | ZAGDaily
Ridehailing, Carsharing & Delivery
Freezing temperatures in Chicago revealed a charging crisis for EVs, with Tesla Superchargers outshining competitors like Electrify America and EVgo. However, the real plot twist was the influx of rideshare EVs clogging stations, causing chaos as drivers struggled with charging protocols | InsideEVs
Uber is shutting down Drizly, an alcohol delivery service it acquired three years ago for $1.1 billion. The decision is attributed to Drizly's unconventional structure, not directly managing delivery workers, and potential cybersecurity concerns, including a hack in 2020 that exposed data from 2.5 million customers, leading to an FTC order | Axios
Alphabet's Wing introduces larger drones with increased payload capacity, capable of handling up to 5 pounds while maintaining a range of 12 miles at 65mph. The move aims to enhance drone delivery efficiency, allowing customers to place orders for more substantial items, and it aligns with Wing's vision of implementing a multimodal drone delivery model | The Verge
Tesla Superchargers in New York City are facing overwhelming demand due to a surge in Tesla rideshare vehicles, driven by a city initiative requiring rideshare fleets to be electric by 2030. The influx of Tesla-based Uber and Lyft vehicles has led to long lines at Supercharger stations, prompting Tesla to implement a "congestion fee" of $1 per minute for charging beyond 90% | Electrek
Investment & Deals
Trojan Energy secures £26 million in funding to enhance on-street EV charging infrastructure. With its groundbreaking charging technology, Trojan Energy aims to facilitate the transition to electric vehicles for approximately nine million UK households that lack access to driveways | Tech.eu
Stellantis Ventures invests in Tiamat's sodium-ion battery technology, the world's first commercialized electrified product of its kind | Tech.eu
Lightship raises $34 million in Series B funding to accelerate the development and production of its groundbreaking L1 electric trailer, catering to a wide consumer base | Electrek
Siemens bolsters its market position through the acquisition of Heliox, a leading developer of fast charging solutions for electric bus and truck fleets, marine vessels, port operations, mining vehicles, and other sectors | Tech.eu
As Amazon's $1 billion industrial innovation fund evolves, the company sets its sights on AI, autonomous vehicles, and the Asian market | TechCrunch
Electra achieves a record-breaking equity fundraising of €304 million for its electric vehicle (EV) charging network, making it the largest fundraising in France and the second-largest in Europe within the charging sector | Tech.eu
Land Moto, the electric motorcycle startup based in Cleveland, aims to diversify its operations by focusing on enhancing its battery design technology. To support this endeavor, the company has raised an additional $3 million in funding for 2024, supplementing the $7 million it raised last summer | TechCrunch
Paris-based startup Electra has accomplished a remarkable feat by securing a Series B round of funding solely in equity, exceeding $300 million. This exceptional achievement has resulted in a substantial $330 million (€304 million) investment for the company | TechCrunch
Spirit Airlines experiences a significant drop in its shares as the proposed deal with JetBlue is blocked by a judge on antitrust grounds. The judge ruled that the $3.8 billion airline merger violates antitrust laws | Bloomberg
With the aim of addressing the demand-supply gap in India's thriving electric vehicle market, startup International Battery Company has secured $35 million in funding. The company focuses on the development of lithium-ion battery cells for electric vehicles | TechCrunch
Cities & Policy
Federal authorities are prohibiting humorous electronic messages on highways, aiming to eliminate distractions and potential misunderstandings caused by obscure meanings, pop culture references, and humor in signage | NBC News
An op-ed highlights the transformative impact of shared streets and pedestrian malls, serving as catalysts for economic growth, social connectivity, and environmental sustainability | NextCity
Free bike share membership is being provided to low-income residents of Glasgow | Environment Journal
A substantial investment of $148.8 million from the US Transportation Department will be utilized to repair or update nearly 4,500 electric vehicle charging ports in approximately 20 states | Electrek
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