Welcome again to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for information and insights on the way forward for transportation. This would be the final publication of 2024! However don’t fear, we’ll be again in 2025 — join right here to get it in your inbox each week. Thanks for studying and your emails. I like to get them. Blissful holidays and have a Blissful New Yr.
I didn’t meet Jean Jennings till lengthy after she had cemented her standing as an automotive journalism icon. By then, Jennings (previously Lindamood) had been editor of Automobile and Driver and had helped discovered Vehicle Journal — the place she would finally turn out to be editor-in-chief — and launched an internet site known as Jean Is aware of Vehicles. Jennings died December 16 at age 70 after residing with Alzheimer’s illness.
To say she was well-known within the business is an understatement. To present you an thought of her influence, Ford CEO Jim Farley and Chairman Invoice Ford issued an official assertion on her demise, and Stellantis designer Ralph Gilles and plenty of, many others within the business have posted their very own memorials to Jean on social media.
And for good purpose. Jennings lived and breathed vehicles, first as a mechanic and later as a journalist and editor. Her articles and travels are a part of automotive lore. I used to be simply dipping my toe into the automotive press pond when she was rising from it, however I nonetheless knew of Jennings. It wasn’t simply her writing, which was witty and pleasant. It was the entire energetic package deal, which generally made her a central character in different articles, like Brock Yates’ 1983 Baja Mexico Sedan Torture Take a look at article in C&D.
After all, when you met her (which I used to be fortunate sufficient to do), there was no forgetting her. Jean, hat’s off to you.
And earlier than we soar into the remainder of the information, take a look at TechCrunch’s 51 most disruptive startups of 2024 to study some attention-grabbing tech and corporations outdoors of transportation.
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A bit chook
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Offers!
The Biden administration is racing to approve plenty of initiatives earlier than President-elect Donald Trump takes over, together with clear vitality loans. Latest Division of Power (DOE) mortgage recipients embody StarPlus Power (a battery three way partnership from Stellantis and Samsung) and Rivian.
This week, it was electrical car charging startup EVgo’s flip.
The DOE accepted a $1.25 billion mortgage to EVgo to assist the startup set up 7,500 public chargers at 1,100 charging stations throughout the U.S. over the following 5 years. The primary deployments will embody 350kW DC fast-charging gear that may cost two vehicles directly.
Different offers that acquired my consideration …
Bikmo, a U.Okay. startup that gives insurance coverage for bikes and cyclists, raised £4.75 million ($5.9 million) in a spherical led by Puma Progress Companions.
Honda and Nissan are reportedly in merger talks. If that have been to return collectively, the merger, which can additionally embody Mitsubishi, would type the world’s third-largest carmaker. The intrigue across the potential deal grew to become much more attention-grabbing when Bloomberg reported that discussions accelerated after Foxconn, the Taiwan-based producer of iPhones, approached Nissan about buying a stake within the firm.
Nanoramic, a Boston-based superior battery know-how startup, raised $44 million in a spherical co-led by Basic Motors Ventures and Catalus Capital, with participation from Samsung Enterprise Funding Company, High Materials, and current buyers, together with Fortistar Capital and WindSail Capital Group.
Orqa, a Croatian developer of superior autonomous drone programs, raised 5.8 million euros ($6 million) in a seed spherical led by Lightspeed Enterprise Companions, with participation from Radius Capital, Decisive Level, and current investor Day One Capital.
Slip Robotics raised $28 million in a Sequence B funding spherical led by DCVC and noticed participation from current buyers Eve Atlas, Tech Sq. Ventures, Hyde Park Enterprise Companions, Overline, and Pathbreaker Ventures. James Hardiman of DCVC has joined the board.
Vaeridion, a German aviation startup creating an electrical plane for short-haul industrial flights, raised a €14 million Sequence A funding spherical led by World Fund, with participation from Challenge A Ventures, Vsquared Ventures, Andreas Kupke, Schwarz Holding, and InnovationQuarter.
Zingbus, the Indian intercity bus service, raised $9 million from BP Ventures in a Sequence A funding spherical.
Notable reads and different tidbits
Autonomous autos
Waymo continues to step into the areas the place its earlier rivals have been planning to arrange store. The newest instance: Waymo is bringing its robotaxis to Tokyo in 2025 with companions taxi-hailing app GO and taxi firm Nihon Kotsu as a part of its Japanese “road trip.” Historical past lesson: Cruise was planning on working in Japan in 2026 by a partnership with Honda.
Waymo could also be dominating, however its robotaxis nonetheless have challenges. One lately acquired caught in a roundabout.
Reuters acquired its palms on a doc from the Trump transition crew that reveals deep curiosity in ending a federal rule that requires automakers to report crashes when superior driver-assistance or autonomous driving know-how is engaged. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has lengthy opposed the federal crash-reporting rule. The timing of that is notable. If profitable, federal security businesses would lose the power to analyze and regulate the security of autos with automated-driving programs simply as extra automation involves public roads.
Drama at TuSimple continues. This time, co-founder and former CEO Xiaodi Hou is pushing shareholders to change the board and substitute it with new members who would help liquidating the corporate.
Zoox has employed Zheng Gao as director of {hardware} engineering. Zheng was most lately at Tesla, the place he spent eight years and was head of Tesla’s Autopilot {hardware} engineering crew. Previous to Tesla, Zheng was at Apple for 9 years.
Electrical autos, charging, & batteries
Canoo is hurting for money. The EV startup has idled its manufacturing facility and furloughed staff because it seeks emergency funding.
The Environmental Safety Company (nonetheless below the Biden administration) will permit California to ban most gross sales of recent gas- and diesel-powered vehicles and lightweight vehicles beginning in 2035. Consider, although, that that is sure to be reversed by the incoming Trump administration.
Ram delayed its electrical truck to 2026 and can as an alternative put the range-extended truck generally known as the Ramcharger within the entrance of the queue. Lagging EV demand is behind the choice.
Tesla is bringing again free Supercharging to prospects who purchase a brand new Mannequin S. However this seems to be a little bit of a shell sport, as Tesla additionally elevated the worth of the Mannequin S by $5,000.
In-car tech
Rivian launched a brand new software program replace to its autos that brings some long-awaited apps to its in-vehicle expertise, together with YouTube, Google Solid, and SiriusXM (with a subscription).
Different random transpo information!
Kakao Mobility, the ride-hailing unit of Korean tech agency Kakao, was fined $10.5 million (KRW 15.1 billion) for limiting rivals’ entry to its taxi app.
Alphabet’s Wing is increasing its partnership with DoorDash to deliver drone supply to prospects within the Dallas-Fort Price Metroplex.
This week’s wheels
TechCrunch reporter Rebecca Bellan hung out within the 2025 Lucid Air Pure — twice! You may learn the entire overview right here. However for many who need the gist, right here it’s.
The 2025 Lucid Air Pure is dreamy, attractive, and splendid — and has some respectable tech besides — although it’s the most cost-effective trim within the EV maker’s present lineup. As Bellan wrote, “I felt fancy and discerning driving around, but in an understated way — as if I were wearing designer sweatpants.” I suppose meaning the Lucid Air Pure is the equal of high-priced athleisure.
Nonetheless, did that translate into worth? Bellan says sure, however provided that Lucid continues to enhance its software program by over-the-air updates.
As somebody who has pushed the Lucid Air a couple of instances, I used to be happy to be taught that a few of my largest complaints, just like the car ping-ponging when the lane-centering function is engaged, have been resolved.
What’s “This week’s wheels”? It’s an opportunity to be taught concerning the totally different transportation merchandise we’re testing, whether or not it’s an electrical or hybrid automobile, an e-bike or perhaps a experience in an autonomous car. Future autos embody the next-gen Rivian R1S and the Volkswagen ID Buzz. Keep tuned.
