The Station: Amazon reveals Rivian stake, the Tesla FSD saga continues and Aurora snaps up a CIG startup

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The Station: Amazon reveals Rivian stake, the Tesla FSD saga continues and Aurora snaps up a CIG startup

It’s been an extraordinary week of news, which began with Tesla reaching a trillion-dollar market valuation when Hertz revealed intentions to purchase 100,000 of the company’s electric vehicles. Simultaneously, the FSD software beta storey continues to unfold. According to a letter written to Tesla CEO Elon Musk, National Transportation Safety Board Chairwoman Jennifer Homendy has asked the business to adjust the design of its advanced driver assistance system so that it cannot be exploited by drivers.

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The FSD debate isn’t going away anytime soon. I’m curious if Tesla shareholders, particularly those who bought into the firm years ago, would turn against Musk and the company. They can’t possible like Musk’s most recent remarks, in which he revealed that Tesla vehicles equipped with Autopilot 2.0 will require a camera upgrade before customers who have previously purchased FSD will be able to access the beta software. However, it’s possible that these owners will gladly bring their automobiles in for the modification. What do you think the outcome will be?

Meanwhile, I began my week by trading in a Jeep Wrangler 4XE Unlimited Sahara plug-in hybrid for the new Mercedes-Benz EQS580 4MATIC, an all-electric vehicle. These cars, which I was given for a week of testing, could not be more unlike. It’s amazing to look back on my EV experiences over the last six years or so and see what has improved and what hasn’t. More on my opinions on these two automobiles will be forthcoming.

Micromobbin’

The North American Bikeshare and Scootershare Alliance (NABSA) and its annual meeting provided the understated news of the week. The unveiling of seven privacy principles for mobility data was one of the many fascinating micromobility themes presented throughout the event. These recommendations, which were developed through a collaboration between mobility businesses like Uber, Lyft, Spin, Bird, and Lime, cities, and other stakeholders, at least start the dialogue about responsible use of rider data on both the city and operator sides.

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Micromobility operator update

Spin and TransLoc, a provider of transportation technology and software, have announced a five-year partnership with the University of California San Diego to establish a mobility ecosystem that will improve how the school’s 75,000 students and employees move about campus. Spin will also be delivering 600 e-bikes and e-scooters to the university, as well as a network of Spin Hub charging stations that will be linked into TransLoc’s transportation software. The school’s mini buses and electric carts for on-demand services will be powered by TransLoc next year.

Bird, which also provides automobiles to UCSD students, has sent a message to the rest of the world: size does matter. The operator is increasing the size of the footboards of its Bird Three scooters to a solid 25 inches, claiming that a larger footboard provides a more stable and enjoyable riding.

Bird has just partnered with Moovit, a transportation planning tool, in 65 cities across 12 countries. Bird joins the likes of Spin and Lime on the app, which will now be able to see nearby vehicles, as well as how long it would take to walk to them and how much they will cost.

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Oh, and there’s one more thing about Birds. Keep a watch out for the company’s first public offering!Bird goes public via SPAC any day now. Its shareholder vote to approve the SPAC deal is on November 2, and its first Q3 earnings call is scheduled for November 15.

Cake, a Swedish e-bike manufacturer, is opening its first physical store. The CAKEsite, as the firm calls it, is a showroom, store, test ride, and service facility all rolled into one. The Stockholm location is the first of 25 planned for North America and Europe by 2025.

When cities do micromobility right, it’s a game-changer.

The Miami Riders Alliance revealed that their e-scooter programme has surpassed 1.2 million rides in 2021 and is on target to surpass the previous ridership record of 1.3 million rides set in 2019. The trial programme earned almost $3 million in income for the city, which was used to help construct new protected bike lanes in the downtown area.

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Wellington, New Zealand, is getting a second Mt Victoria tunnel as part of a $6.4 billion transportation package, and one of the possibilities being considered is converting the tunnel into a walking and cycling-only tunnel. That’s a major thing in a city where cars are king. There’s even talk of adding a dedicated bus priority lane to the mix, which would significantly expand non-car transportation alternatives for those in the city’s eastern suburbs.

Paris aims to be 100 per cent bikeable by 2026, so it’s spending $291 million to expand its protected bike lane system by 180 kilometres, add 180,000 additional bike parking spaces, and eliminate 70,000 on-street vehicles parking spaces. help businesses get on cargo bikes and raise awareness among school kids about how to bike.

To offset travel interruptions caused by decreased Metrorail service, Lyft and D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser have started distributing free 30-day Capital Bikeshare memberships to all D.C. residents. This is how you incorporate micromobility into public transportation!

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Money for micromobility

Tier Mobility has raised $200 million in its Series D round, which it describes as the “first closure.” According to reports, the Berlin-based firm will raise considerably more money. According to Tier, the entire round will be a mix of debt and equity.

Rad Power Bikes, a fat tyre e-bike firm, has secured $154 million in Series D fundraising from existing institutional investors, bringing its total capital to $329 million. The funds will be used to support technological and product innovation, as well as to expand the company’s distribution centres and supply chain.

Inventive swag

Tenways, an e-bike maker, has just released its first model, the CGO 600, on Indiegogo for $1,400. With a lightweight frame and a 250W motor for steep slopes, it’s designed for the city. And, despite the fact that it’s on Indiegogo,

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Serial 1, Harley Davidson’s electric bike offshoot, has presented its second limited-edition e-bike. The MOSH/BMW is up for sale, and the bidding will end on Tuesday, November 2 at 5 p.m. MDT.

The GT and the Pint X are two new Onewheels from Future Motion. Onewheel’s new flagship product, the GT, boasts increased power, torque, and performance. It has 3 horsepower and can travel up to 32 kilometres on a single charge. The car is available for pre-order and will be delivered in January for $2,200. The Pint X is a tiny variant that can travel 18 miles on a single charge and has a peak speed of 18 mph. This one costs $1,400 and is available right now.

Okai, a manufacturer of e-bikes and e-scooters, is introducing the Beetle EA10 seated electric scooter and the Neon ES20 portable, smart street scooter, indicating a willingness to address a variety of use cases. The Volkswagen Beetle features a large cushioned seat and shock absorbers, and it has a peak speed of 16 mph. The Neon has a one-click folding construction, as well as gorgeous programmable neon lights on the stem and undercarriage with a range of 25 kilometres.

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Deal of the week

According to a regulatory filing, Amazon held equity investments (as of September 30) including preferred stock of Rivian that represented about 20% ownership interest. That holding had a “carrying value” of $3.8 billion, up from $2.7 billion as of December 31, 2020.

According to Rivian’s first public offering, Amazon has invested $1.345 billion in the electric vehicle manufacturer. Amazon also recently bought $490 million in Rivian convertible notes, which will convert to Class A shares after the IPO if certain price restrictions are met.

What does all of this imply? If Rivian’s IPO is successful, Amazon will benefit. And, while Rivian is a stand-alone firm, Amazon has tremendous power as an investor and client. It’s likely that Amazon will make advantage of it.

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Other discounts that caught my eye this week…

Amazon re-invested in fast-charging technology Resilient Power, CMC Machinery, and Infinium, a renewable fuels technology startup it previously sponsored, using funds from its $2 billion climate fund.

Will Smith’s Dreamers VC, Kevin Durant and Rich Kleiman’s Thirty Five Ventures, and Sean “Diddy” Combs’ Combs Enterprises have all invested in Arc, a firm that debuted 10 months ago with the goal of electrifying anything on the sea. Arc’s total capital now exceeds $7 million, according to the latest investment, which co-founder and CEO Mitch Lee sees as a strategic round.

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VC firm Andreessen Horowitz led the company’s seed round in February. Chris Sacca’s Lowercarbon Capital and Ramtin Nami’s Abstract Ventures invested in Arc’s seed round.

Aurora, the self-driving car business that will go public on Nasdaq in November, has acquired Colrspace, a three-person computer graphic imaging startup that has been working under the radar. Aurora hopes that the technology developed by the Pixar veterans will improve the computer simulation tool it uses to test and train its self-driving system, making it more realistic. Aurora will also be the owner of Colrspace’s intellectual property, particularly the technology that mixes CGI and machine intelligence.

Autochek, an African automobile startup, earned $13.1 million in a seed round headed by TLcom Capital and 4DX Ventures, two pan-African venture capital companies. Golden Palm Investments, Enza Capital, and Lateral Capital are among the existing investors. with new backers ASK Capital and Mobility 54 Investment SAS, the venture capital arm of Toyota Tsusho and CFAO Group, also participated.

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Autofleet, the Israel-based vehicle-as-a-administration stage that spotlights on armadas, has had a bustling week. The startup brought $20 million up in Series B subsidizing drove by Keyframe Capital and with interest from Goodyear. Mizmaa Ventures, Maniv Mobility and Next Gear Ventures. Autofleet additionally secured an association with Fujitsu, which likewise made an essential interest in the startup through a corporate investment store oversaw by its auxiliary Fujitsu Ventures Limited.

ClearFlame Engine Technologies brought $17 million up in Series A round drove by Breakthrough Energy Ventures with investment from Mercuria, John Deere and Clean Energy Ventures.

Gringo, a Brazilian startup that has constructed an application pointed toward supporting drivers, brought $8 million up in a new round of financing drove by Kaszek and included cooperation from GFC and OneVC. Kaszek additionally drove the organization’s seed round in 2020. The most recent speculation brings its complete raised to $10 million since its 2019 commencement.

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Hyundai Motor Group has made an essential speculation, which was not revealed, into strong state battery innovation startup Factorial. Hyundai and Kia have additionally joined forces with Factorial to test its innovation. Under the joint advancement understanding, the organizations will coordinate Factorial innovation at the phone, module, and framework levels, perform vehicle-level incorporation, and co-foster details for assembling Factorial’s batteries.

NI has gained NH Research, an organization gives test instruments and frameworks to different enterprises, including electric vehicles and batteries. That exchange, wherein the terms were not unveiled, shut October 19, 2021. NI has likewise consented to buy the EV Systems business of Heinzinger GmbH, an European organization that makes high-current and high-voltage power frameworks. This arrangement is relied upon to shut in Q1 2022.

ProLogium Technology Co., the Taiwanese battery producer, brought $326 million up in a subsidizing round with support from dGav Capital, Primavera Capital Group and SB China Venture Capital, Bloomberg revealed.

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Skyryse has raised a $200 million Series B round drove by Fidelity Management and Research Company and Monashee Investment Management, with extra support from ArrowMark Partners, Republic Capital, Raptor Group, Infinite Capital, Embedded Ventures, Fortistar, K3 Ventures, Rosecliff, SV Pacific Ventures, Laurence Tosi, and Dmitry Balyasny. Earlier financial backers Venrock, Eclipse Ventures, and Fontinalis Partners likewise partook. The crisp financing brings the startup’s all out raised to $250 million.

Savvy Eye, a provider of driver checking frameworks for automakers, consented to procure human conduct programming organization iMotions for $46.6 million only five months after it gobbled up feeling discovery programming startup Affectiva.

Material Mobility, an Israeli startup that utilizations existing vehicle sensor information to create bits of knowledge about the vehicle and the street through its cloud stage, raised a $27 million Series C round drove by Delek Motors, with vital speculation from Goodyear Ventures and Porsche Ventures and backing from Union Group, The Group Ventures, Zvi Neta (AEV), Giora Ackerstein and Doron Livnat.

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Vertical Aerospace got $205 million in extra financing to assist with scaling creation and confirmation of its electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) airplane. Mudrick Capital Management will put $200 million in Vertical through convertible senior got notes. Another $5 million is coming from Kouras SA.

Xeal, the EV charging startup established by Isaacson and Nikhil Bharadwaj, said it brought $11 million up in a Series An and unveiled a formerly unannounced $3 million seed round. The Series A saw support from a fascinating blend of financial backers from environment tech and proptech, including ArcTern Ventures and Moderne Ventures, with extra subsidizing from LPC Ventures, the endeavor arm of Lincoln Property Company, Harrison Street, Hunt Companies and Align Real Estate. The seed round was co-driven by Ramez Naam and Pasadena Angels.

Policy corner

The months-long saga to pass a budget reconciliation bill and an infrastructure bill — each historic in their own right, each touting trillion dollar price tags — is far from over.

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President Joe Biden divulged his refreshed Build Back Better financial arrangement on Thursday, however the enormous arm of obstruction came from his own party — all the more explicitly, the gradual wing of the Democrats, who stay resolute that the two bills move pair through the vote. Since no vote went ahead, Biden needed to leave for the United Nations Climate Change gathering in Glasgow without a hearty arrangement of arrangements on environment to flaunt to the next world pioneers.

While the financial plan charge saw some appalling changes — including an arrangement that would’ve set up a public paid family leave program — what’s significant here at The Station is that the extended electric vehicle motivator for purchasers endure the many rounds of update. A $7,500 customer tax break for EVs has been around for some time, yet allies say it’s about time for it to be refreshed.

The major changes include:
• Adding an additional $4,500 credit for EVs made in the U.S. and in union shops
• Adding an additional $500 for EVs made with batteries where at least 50% of the components are U.S.-made
• Removing the cap that limits the credit to manufacturers that have sold less than 200,000 EVs
• Limiting the incentive to EVs that cost under $55,000 for sedans; $69,000 for SUVs; and $74,000 for pickups
• Limiting eligibility for individuals that make under $400,000 per year or $800,000 for joint filers

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One of the most significant advantages for the middle class would be the timing of the incentive. Consumers must now claim the credit on their taxes at the end of the year, but the reduction would be applied at the time of purchase under the revised phrasing. Many people who couldn’t wait until tax time could be able to buy a new electric vehicle now.

The Big Three automakers, the United Auto Workers Union, and the Sierra Club, among others, have endorsed the proposal. Honda Motor, Hyundai, BMW AG, Volkswagen, Nissan Motor, Tesla, and Toyota Motor are among the companies opposing the law.

Aria Alamalhodaei (Aria Alamalhodaei)

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Notable news and other tidbits

Autonomous vehicles

AiMotive, an automated driving technology startup founded in 2015, has opened a new office in Munich that includes a workshop to enable testing and data collection in Germany. Testing is expected to begin in 2022.

Bryan Salesky, fellow benefactor and CEO of Argo AI, has been selected to the leading body of PNC Financial Services Group. He has additionally been selected to the board’s innovation subcommittee and its unique council on value and incorporation. Salesky additionally serves on the University of Pittsburgh’s Board of Trustees.

General Motors CEO and Chair Mary Barra is “pretty certain” that the driver will be out of Cruise vehicles by 2022. The remarks were made during GM’s second from last quarter profit call and comes at Cruise seeks enter early business tasks for independent robotaxi and conveyance administrations.

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GE Appliances has tapped Swedish cargo innovation organization Einride to test the organization’s electric, independent trucks and cases in its Louisville, Kentucky grounds. This is whenever Einride’s first trucks will land on U.S. soil, and they’ll be utilized to convey materials between structures at GE’s Appliance Park.

Starship Technologies is working with North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University and its food administrations supplier, Sodexo, to give the college’s food conveyance administration through independent robots. Starship will work an armada of 20 independent, on-request robots that will convey from three grounds diners with an objective to extend extra retail stores by the following spring.

Yandex has joined forces with the Russian Post to convey packages through its independent robots. As a component of the pilot project, 36 robots will convey bundles from 27 mailing stations all through Moscow. Yandex representatives will deal with upkeep and backing, yet the day by day stacking of packages and charging and changing of batteries will tumble to the Russian Post laborers.

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Electric vehicles

Arcimoto, creators of the little, electric, three-wheeled Fun Utility Vehicle, is joining forces with vehicle sharing organization REEF as a component of the organization’s zero-outflow vehicle-sharing project. Presently, Arcimoto vehicles will be accessible to lease continuously in Santa Monica through REEF’s foundation.

Canoo agreed with Panasonic to supply batteries for its all-electric way of life vehicle. The vehicle, which will be made by VDL Nedcar, is planned for creation in the final quarter of 2022.

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Portage and Newlab acknowledged six new businesses in its debut associate of the Mobility Studio, a program that expects to help these organizations pilot a scope of administrations and advancements to assist with prodding more far reaching electrical vehicle reception. The picked new businesses incorporate vehicle-as-a-administration stage Autofleet, electric framework foundation engineer Rhombus Energy Solutions, charging-as-a-administration organization SparkCharge, EV charging equipment and programming supplier EVPassport, EV the board and observing programming organization WeaveGrid and vehicle-to-matrix startup Fermata Energy.

General Motors said it will introduce up to 40,000 electric vehicle chargers across North America as a feature of an arrangement to empty almost $750 million into charging framework that will assist with drawing in drivers to its electric models. Under the program, GM will supply the charging gear to automobile sellers, who will attempt to recognize appropriate locales and get the framework introduced inside their separate networks.

Proterra will supply its H Series battery framework innovation to Komatsu for the improvement of battery-electric underground mining vehicles. The point is to go into business creation in 2022.

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Uber and EV charging and energy the executives organization Wallbox have banded together to give ride-hailing drivers admittance to at-home charging foundation. Wallbox will offer drivers with Uber a limited bundle for a charger, establishment and the choice to back the bundle. The test case program will start off in the San Francisco Bay Area. If effective, the organizations said it will be carrying out to different areas in the US, Canada and internationally.

Xponent Power has created and is currently dispatching a retractable sun oriented canopy for RVs. That is flawless! As per Xponent, the normal RV utilizes around 7,200 kWh a time of energy. The Xpanse Solar Awning, as it is called, creates more than 1.2kW of sunlight based ability to run locally available apparatuses.

Misc. stuff

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Robert Bosch GmbH said it will contribute one more €400 million ($467 million to extend its chip fabricating offices because of the continuous semiconductor lack. The helped use, which is reserved for 2022, will go toward growing activities at the organization’s wafer manufacture plants in Dresden and Reutlingen, Germany, and its semiconductor part office in Penang, Malaysia.

Stellantis has dispatched a prizes program and application with startup Miles. The new program, called Stellantis Miles, permits clients of Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, Ram, Fiat or Alfa Romeo vehicles to acquire miles for all their movement, not restricted to driving. The application was created in organization with Miles and accessible free of charge download on iOS and Android. Clients can recover their miles for customized prizes from in excess of 250 driving retailers, just as give their miles to fund-raise for a noble cause.

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