Onyx Motorbikes was in trouble — and then its 37-year-old owner died

James Khatiblou, the owner and CEO of Onyx Motorbikes, was watching his e-bike startup fall apart.  Onyx was being evicted from its warehouse in El Segundo, Los Angeles. The company’s unpaid bills were stacking up. His chief operating officer had abruptly resigned. A shipment of around 100 CTY2 dirt bikes from Chinese supplier Suzhou Jindao… Continue reading Onyx Motorbikes was in trouble — and then its 37-year-old owner died

Indian EV startup Zypp Electric secures backing to fund expansion to Southeast Asia

Indian startup Zypp Electric plans to use fresh investment from Japanese oil and energy conglomerate ENEOS to take its EV rental service into Southeast Asia early next year, TechCrunch has exclusively learned. The company aims to be in 15 markets over the next two years. Of those 15 markets, Zypp Electric plans to launch its… Continue reading Indian EV startup Zypp Electric secures backing to fund expansion to Southeast Asia

Feds add nine more incidents to Waymo robotaxi investigation

Federal safety regulators have discovered nine more incidents that raise questions about the safety of Waymo’s self-driving vehicles operating in Phoenix and San Francisco.  The National Highway Traffic Safety Administration Office of Defects Investigation (ODI) opened an investigation earlier this month into Waymo’s autonomous vehicle software after receiving 22 reports of robotaxis making unexpected moves… Continue reading Feds add nine more incidents to Waymo robotaxi investigation

Lucid Motors slashes 400 jobs ahead of crucial SUV launch

Lucid Motors is laying off about 400 employees, or roughly 6% of its workforce, as part of a restructuring ahead of the launch of its first electric SUV later this year. The company said in a regulatory filing on Friday morning that it expects to complete the restructuring by the end of the third quarter… Continue reading Lucid Motors slashes 400 jobs ahead of crucial SUV launch

Spotify to shut off Car Thing for good, leading users to demand refunds

Spotify is notifying customers who purchased its Car Thing product that the devices will stop working after December 9, 2024. The company discontinued the device back in July 2022, but had said at the time that it would still support the units that had already been sold. The company’s plans for the device have changed,… Continue reading Spotify to shut off Car Thing for good, leading users to demand refunds

Tesla lobbies for Elon and Kia taps into the GenAI hype

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! Is it me, or is the Tesla board being a bit extra these days as it tries to convince shareholders to vote in favor of relocating the… Continue reading Tesla lobbies for Elon and Kia taps into the GenAI hype

Paris transit passes now available in iPhone’s Wallet app

After multiple delays, Apple and the Paris area transportation authority rolled out support for Paris transit passes in Apple Wallet. It means that people can now use their iPhone or Apple Watch as a Navigo pass to ride the metro, train, tram or bus. This is important news for Île-de-France Mobilités (IDFM) — the transportation… Continue reading Paris transit passes now available in iPhone’s Wallet app

Redwood Materials is partnering with Ultium Cells to recycle GM’s EV battery scrap

Redwood Materials, the battery recycling startup founded by former Tesla co-founder JB Straubel, will be recycling production scrap for batteries going into General Motors electric vehicles.  The company announced Thursday that it’s working with Ultium Cells, the joint battery manufacturing venture between GM and LG Energy Solution, to recycle cathode, anode and cell scrap from… Continue reading Redwood Materials is partnering with Ultium Cells to recycle GM’s EV battery scrap

The new Kia EV3 will have an AI assistant with ChatGPT DNA

The Kia EV3 — the new all-electric compact SUV revealed Thursday — illustrates a growing appetite among global automakers to bring generative AI into their vehicles.  The automaker said the Kia EV3 will feature a new voice assistant that is built off ChatGPT, the text-generating AI chatbot developed by OpenAI. The Kia EV3, and its… Continue reading The new Kia EV3 will have an AI assistant with ChatGPT DNA

India’s BluSmart is testing its ride-hailing service in Dubai

Indian ride-hailing startup BluSmart has started operating in Dubai, TechCrunch has exclusively learned and confirmed with its executive. The move to Dubai, which has been rumored for months, could help counter the likes of Careem, Uber and Hala in the United Arab Emirates’ most populous city. The Gurugram-based startup quietly enabled the new Dubai service… Continue reading India’s BluSmart is testing its ride-hailing service in Dubai