New York-based Revel has made a lot of pivots since initially launching in 2018 as a dockless e-moped sharing service. The BlackRock-backed startup briefly stepped into the e-bike subscription business. It launched and now operates a handful of electric vehicle charging stations across the five boroughs. And it started an all-Tesla, all-employee ride-hail service, in… Continue reading Revel to lay off 1,000 staff ride-hail drivers, saying they’d rather be contractors anyway
Author: Tech Crunch Online News
Rivian overhauled the R1S and R1T to entice new buyers ahead of cheaper R2 launch
Rivian has changed 600 parts on its R1S SUV and R1T pickup truck in a bid to drive down manufacturing costs, while improving performance of its flagship vehicles. The end goal, which will play out over the coming year, is an existential one. Rivian lost about $38,784 on every vehicle it delivered in the first… Continue reading Rivian overhauled the R1S and R1T to entice new buyers ahead of cheaper R2 launch
Qargo raises $14M to digitize and decarbonize the trucking industry
Transport accounts for some 23% of global greenhouse gas emissions, and inland transport accounts for 72% of this total, with 69% coming from road vehicles. Given that empty or unfilled trucks produce more emissions than all international flights combined, much of those emissions could be curtailed by greater efficiency in this industry, which is still dominated… Continue reading Qargo raises $14M to digitize and decarbonize the trucking industry
Zoox to test self-driving cars in Austin and Miami
Zoox, Amazon’s self-driving unit, is bringing its autonomous vehicles to more cities. The self-driving technology company announced Wednesday plans to begin testing in Austin and Miami this summer. The two cities mark Zoox’s fourth and fifth test cities, following Las Vegas, San Francisco and Seattle. The news comes as federal regulators increase their scrutiny of… Continue reading Zoox to test self-driving cars in Austin and Miami
Whizz wants to own the delivery e-bike subscription space, starting with NYC
New York City, home to over 60,000 gig delivery workers, has been cracking down on cheap, uncertified e-bikes that have resulted in battery fires across the city. Some e-bike providers may see such regulations as a problem for business. But e-bike subscription startup Whizz sees it as an opportunity. “I think the market is moving… Continue reading Whizz wants to own the delivery e-bike subscription space, starting with NYC
GM’s Cruise is testing robotaxis in Dallas again
GM’s Cruise is redeploying a small fleet of robotaxis in Dallas this week as part of the company’s previously stated goal to validate its self-driving systems and win back public trust. Dallas is the second city that Cruise is easing its way back into after pulling its entire U.S. fleet late last year, following an… Continue reading GM’s Cruise is testing robotaxis in Dallas again
Swiss startup Neural Concept raises $27M to cut EV design time to 18 months
As pressure from Chinese competitors intensifies and the EV market stalls, major U.S. and European auto manufacturers are racing to cut the cost of producing electric vehicles so they can get to the price tags and profit margins of ICE cars. But to do that, they must find ways to make the design process faster… Continue reading Swiss startup Neural Concept raises $27M to cut EV design time to 18 months
Inside EV startup Fisker’s collapse: how the company crumbled under its founders’ whims
An autonomous pod. A solid-state battery-powered sports car. An electric pickup truck. A convertible grand tourer EV with up to 600 miles of range. A “fully connected mobility device” for young urban innovators to be built by Foxconn and priced under $30,000. The next Popemobile. Over the past eight years, famed vehicle designer Henrik Fisker… Continue reading Inside EV startup Fisker’s collapse: how the company crumbled under its founders’ whims
Feds tell Zoox to send more info about autonomous vehicles suddenly braking
U.S. federal regulators have requested more information from Zoox, Amazon’s self-driving unit, as part of an investigation into rear-end crash risks posed by unexpected braking. The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA) opened a preliminary investigation into Zoox on May 10 after it received two reports of Zoox vehicles unexpectedly braking, leading to rear-end collisions… Continue reading Feds tell Zoox to send more info about autonomous vehicles suddenly braking
Tesla shareholder sweepstakes and EV layoffs hit Lucid and Fisker
Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility! Okay, okay — remember last week when I suggested Tesla was being a bit extra in its bid to convince shareholders to vote in favor of relocating… Continue reading Tesla shareholder sweepstakes and EV layoffs hit Lucid and Fisker