Volvo’s EX30: A fusion of Sustainability, Innovation, and Affordability | Aug 04th, 2023

Also, Pivot bikes rolled out a new Shuttle AM Electric Mountain Bike, people in Taiwan are now asked to recycle their plastic waste at Gogoro and MUJI stores, and Uber’s shares fell by 6%.

Issue [#198] - Every week, we deliver analysis and curation of emerging mobility news - post a job listing here!

Micromobility

Waev is launching the new 2024 GEM electric vehicles, which are at the forefront of the low-speed vehicle (LSV) category, with more than 30 modern improvements, making them more appealing and enjoyable to drive. Additionally, all 2024 GEM batteries are free of maintenance. You can choose the battery and charging option that suits your needs – whether you care more about range, charge time, cost, flexibility, or life cycles / WAEV

Electric bikes are more prevalent than ever on the streets as they gain popularity as alternate modes of mobility. Consequently, these electric two-wheels are receiving more attention from police departments. They are now taking action against those that are illegal for street use, and a police department in California is accomplishing that with horse-mounted police officers. A recently known case was the Newport Beach Police Department mounted police officers stopping and citing a rider of a Sur Ron electric motorbike / Electrek

A global study by Neuron Mobility, an e-scooter company, conducted to explore the e-scooter gender gap for riders of rental e-scooters revealed that despite the gender gap closing worldwide, with 59% of riders being men and 40% being women, the UK remains the slowest to make the shift, with 75% of riders being men and 23% women. Infrastructure issues and gender-specific challenges might be some of the contributing factors to these findings / ZAGDaily

Scott Shepherd, the host of the #CitiesFirst Podcast, sat down with Alex Mitchell, the founder, and Managing Director at Full Turn Capital, to discuss everything about Los Angeles and the situation of mobility there. They shared viewpoints on traditional rail-based mobility and the importance of mobility in people’s lives in general, how a bus rapid system by LA changed urban commuting for LA residents, how there’s a need for better infrastructure to improve how people move, and much more / The #CitiesFirst Podcast

Josh Firkins, the director of H Firkins & Sons, the oldest chimney sweep firm in London, sat down with Zag about his decision to invest in a £16,000 cargo bike developed by EAV Solutions to cut down the Ulez charges. Founded in 1860, the company carried the equipment on bikes and then switched to vans upon expansion. However, this new step is taking H Firkins & Sons back to its bike roots / ZAGDaily

People in Taiwan are now encouraged to recycle their plastic waste at Gogoro and MUJI stores! The reason is the Recycling for Good program, a joint initiative announced as part of a partnership between MUJI, Gogoro, and world-renowned Japanese designer Naoto Fukasawa. According to Gogoro’s founder and CEO, Horace Luke, the program supports the reduction of urban pollution and motivates people to contribute towards a more sustainable future / Electrek

Product Launches & Updates

If you are looking for an affordable electric moped, you might be tempted by the Colorway e-bike that Walmart sells for only $779 and is a bit of a mystery. It has a rear hub motor that can be either 750W or 250W. It also claims to reach a top speed of 20 mph (32 km/h), but that’s only when the battery is at full charge, as Walmart admits in the spec sheet. And to make things even more bizarre, it seems that the handlebars are installed backward on this e-bike / Electrek

The first compact fully electric crossover from Volvo, the EX30, made its North American debut in New York and is already creating quite a stir. The automaker is certain that the use of sustainable materials and an innovative interior will make it popular with the general public on a large scale, with the EX30's starting price of $34,950 acting as a significant contributing factor to its popularity as well / TechCrunch

The Shuttle AM is the latest all-mountain electric mountain bike from Pivot bikes, a company based in Phoenix, Arizona. This e-bike is designed for hardcore mountain bikers who want to conquer any terrain, featuring 29-inch wheels on both ends and offering 148 millimeters of rear wheel travel. The front and rear triangles are carbon fiber, making the bike stiff and light. Moreover, the 160-millimeter suspension fork ensures a smooth and stable ride /  InsideEvs

The 2024 Chevrolet Blazer EVs are headed to dealerships, but the price tags disclosed by the EV’s manufacturer, General Motors, surpassed expectations. Originally the base version was priced at $44,995, the 2LT FWD trim at about $47,595, and the RS at $51,995. But now that GM has started shipping the EVs, the current price ranges exceed the original estimates by nearly $10,000 / TechCrunch

Ridehailing, Carsharing & Delivery

Minneapolis and Minnesota governments are considering raising the minimum wage for drivers because Uber and Lyft drivers are concerned about making less money. However, ride hailing companies have warned that this might increase costs for passengers while providing drivers less money. According to Uber, a Minnesota minimum wage would increase the cost of rides by at least 50% and lead to at least 30% fewer tips, eventually decreasing drivers’ pay / FOX Business 

Tuesday, August 1st, saw a 6% decline in the value of Uber's shares after the ride-hailing giant said Lyft was successfully competing on price and published an earnings estimate. The estimate, according to experts, may have disappointed investors who have overestimated the stock two-fold this year / Reuters

Uber's quarterly earnings fell $100 million short of market forecasts, yet the business met key profitability targets including a GAAP operating profit. Based on its performance, Uber appears to be operating at peak efficiency in most of its business segments and is expected to post impressive results in Q3 2023 / TechCrunch

On Friday, 28th July, the backup driver of the self-driving Uber that crashed into and killed a 49-year-old woman in Tempe, Arizona, in 2018, pleaded guilty to one count of endangerment and was given a three-year probationary period. This incident is thought to be the first fatal collision with a self-driving automobile / The Verge

Investment & Deals

Ola Electric, India's leading e-scooter manufacturer, experienced an operating loss of $136 million during the previous financial year, ending in March, despite generating a revenue of $335 million / Business Standard

Micromobility's acquisition of the subscription-based e-bike company is expected to enable the utilization of the Dutch firm's cutting-edge e-bike technology and subscription model, thereby enhancing the group's range of products and services / Tech.eu

Dubai's Roads & Transport Authority has selected Bank of America, Citigroup, and Emirates NBD Capital for the city's taxi business IPO, marking the emirate's first privatization of the year / Bloomberg 

Paack, a Spanish delivery startup, has successfully secured €40M in funding to strengthen its position in driving e-commerce. This revolutionary funding, comprising both debt and equity, propels Paack towards profitability, with a funding "bridge" paving the way for future growth / TechNews180

Uber achieves historic operating profit in Q2 2023, reporting $394 million net income / TechCrunch

Cities & Policy

Over the weekend, The New York Times released two articles focusing on the increasing fatalities among cyclists who ride electric bikes / Electrek

Driverless car legislation remains stagnant in the US, as bills aimed at expanding the presence of autonomous vehicles on the roads have been stuck in Congress for over six years without any indication of advancement / The Verge

The California Privacy Protection Agency plans to review data privacy practices of automakers selling connected vehicles with data-mining features / TechCrunch

As Canada progresses in its transition towards clean energy, data gathered from federal sources by CBC News reveals the correlation between the number of fast-charging stations in each province and the quantity of electric vehicles currently in use on the roads /  CBC News

California is seeking to establish a specialized driver's license exclusively for electric bikes / Electrek 

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