Yandex buys out Uber’s stake in Yandex Self-Driving Group, Eats, Lavka and Delivery for $1B

Russian internet and ride-hail giant Yandex has acquired Uber’s stake in its Self-Driving Group (SDG), as well as Uber’s indirect interest in Yandex.Eats, Yandex.Lavka and Yandex.Delivery. The total cost of the deal came to $1 billion, giving the Russian company 100% ownership over all four businesses. Yandex SDG is an autonomous technology spinout from MLU… Continue reading Yandex buys out Uber’s stake in Yandex Self-Driving Group, Eats, Lavka and Delivery for $1B

EV charging solutions will become an asset, not a liability, to the grid

Oren Ezer Contributor Oren Ezer is CEO and co-founder of ElectReon, a shared energy platform that provides wireless charging for electric vehicles. President Joe Biden’s plan for electric vehicles (EVs) to comprise roughly half of U.S. sales by 2030 is a clear indication that the U.S. is making strides in decarbonizing its transportation systems, which… Continue reading EV charging solutions will become an asset, not a liability, to the grid

Kevala raises $21M to improve tools for managing energy grid infrastructure

Kevala, the startup that collects and analyzes energy grid infrastructure data for utility companies, renewable energy providers, EV charging companies, regulators and other energy industry stakeholders, has raised $21 million in a Series A round. The company says it will use the funds to grow its team from 60 employees to around 100 by the… Continue reading Kevala raises $21M to improve tools for managing energy grid infrastructure

Gatik expands autonomous box truck operations to Texas with $85 million in new funds

In the two years since Gatik AI came out of stealth, the autonomous vehicle startup has launched pilots with Walmart and Canadian retail giant Loblaw in its bid to prove that self-driving technology combined with box trucks is the secret economic sauce for hauling goods short distances. Now, the company is expanding into Texas —… Continue reading Gatik expands autonomous box truck operations to Texas with $85 million in new funds

Power Global eyes India’s auto rickshaw industry with swappable battery and retrofit kit

In India, a country that is more densely populated and has lower rates of car ownership, auto rickshaws and other two- or three-wheeled vehicles play a central role. While many auto rickshaws on Indian roads are already electric, they tend to rely on lead-acid batteries that need to be replaced every six to 11 months.… Continue reading Power Global eyes India’s auto rickshaw industry with swappable battery and retrofit kit

Motional reveals its Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric robotaxi

Motional revealed Tuesday the first images of its planned robotaxi, a Hyundai all-electric Ioniq 5 SUV that will be the centerpiece of a driverless ride-hailing service the company wants customers to be able to access starting in 2023 through the Lyft app. The purpose-built vehicle, which will be assembled by Hyundai, is integrated with Motional’s… Continue reading Motional reveals its Hyundai Ioniq 5 electric robotaxi

Elon Musk’s Loop gets Autopilot — and an intruder

Less than two weeks after its official launch, The Boring Company’s Loop system in Las Vegas had its first security breach. On June 21, the morning of the final day of the International Beauty Show, an “unauthorized vehicle” joined the system’s fleet of Tesla taxis underground, emails between the Loop’s operations manager and a Clark… Continue reading Elon Musk’s Loop gets Autopilot — and an intruder

Prive has raised $1.7 million to build a more configurable e-commerce subscription platform

Prive, a months-old, San Francisco-based startup founded by two former Uber product managers, just raised $1.7 million in pre-seed funding to create what it describes as a far more customizable e-commerce subscriptions platform for D2C brands. The round was co-led by Patrick Chung and Brandon Farwell at XFund and Ben Ling from Bling Capital, with… Continue reading Prive has raised $1.7 million to build a more configurable e-commerce subscription platform

Ideanomics to buy EV fleet maker Via Motors in $450M all-stock deal

Ideanomics, a fintech and electric mobility firm based in New York, has added to its list of acquisitions: commercial electric vehicle manufacturer Via Motors (in an all-stock deal valued at $450 million). Ideanomics has been aggressively purchasing mobility businesses this year, as it seeks to build out vertically integrated offerings for fleet operators and transit… Continue reading Ideanomics to buy EV fleet maker Via Motors in $450M all-stock deal

The Station: Rivian makes its IPO move, Nuro pushes into Nevada and Waymo scales up in SF

The Station is a weekly newsletter dedicated to all things transportation. Sign up here — just click The Station — to receive it every weekend in your inbox. Hello readers: Welcome to The Station, your central hub for all past, present and future means of moving people and packages from Point A to Point B. I’m… Continue reading The Station: Rivian makes its IPO move, Nuro pushes into Nevada and Waymo scales up in SF