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Welcome back toTechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the time to come of transportation . Sign up here for free — just clickTechCrunch Mobility !
We ’re just a few days into a newTrump administration , and it ’s already a firehose of executive lodge , declarations , and even pardons . A few have crossed into the “ future of transportation ” world .
Now , first let ’s be clear about executive society . disregarding of who is president , executive parliamentary law can be political dramatic art and often run afoul flat with constitutional constabulary . But they can be helpful signal into the priorities of the person sitting in the Oval Office .
For President Trump , it ’s clear he is not a devotee of EV incentives — of any kind .
Among the lot of executive orders he signed on thefirst day of his 2d condition , Trump regularize all agencies toimmediately pause disbursement of fundsfrom the Inflation Reduction Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Law . He specifically called out financial backing for EV charge substructure from the National Electric Vehicle Infrastructure Formula Program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program . It should be noted that Tesla — chair by Trump ally Elon Musk — has gain from these programs .
We ’ll be watching — and reporting on — how this plays out and which companionship are most at danger .
A little bird
Oh , Canoo ! What you could have been . Canoo filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcyand has cease all mathematical operation . We ’ll be following this as it winds through bankruptcy homage .
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Here ’s some point you might not know : A few month before Canoo went kaput , the company shutter its former headquarters in Los Angeles . A few small shuttle told us that , in the months before Canoo filed for bankruptcy , multiple employee relocated from California to the company ’s offices in Oklahoma and Texas — leaving them jobless in a new location .
have a bakshish for us ? Email Kirsten Korosec atkirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com , Sean O’Kane atsean.okane@techcrunch.com , or Rebecca Bellan atrebecca.bellan@techcrunch.com . Or check outthese instructionsto memorize how to contact us via encrypted message apps or SecureDrop .
Deals!
sing about locking in a wad at the eleventh hour .
Rivianand theDepartment of Energy(DOE)finalized a $ 6.6 billion loanannounced in November just a few day before Trump ’s inaugural . The companionship will use the loan to help build out its planned manufacturing plant in Georgia , due east of Atlanta , with construction begin in 2026 . The first R2 sport utility are scheduled to come off the logical argument in 2028 .
The loan comes from the Advanced Technology Vehicles Manufacturing ( ATVM ) program , part of the DOE ’s Loan Programs Office . ATVM is most well - have it off as the broadcast that give Tesla a $ 465 million lifeline in 2009 .
Other deals that got my attention …
Ati Motors , an Indian independent robotics inauguration , raised $ 20 millionin an all - equity Series B financing round co - led by Walden Catalyst Ventures and NGP Capital . It also featured live investors , including True Ventures , Exfinity Venture Partners , Athera Venture Partners , and Blume Ventures .
Lyteflo , a Canadian EV software sale inauguration , enhance $ 3 millionin come funding led by Diagram . Whitecap Venture Partners and Amplify Capital also participated .
Metafuels , a Swiss aviation fuel startup , bring up $ 9 millionin a round led by Celsius Industries . Other new investors let in RockCreek , Fortescue Ventures , and Verve Ventures , with existing backers Energy Impact Partners and Contrarian Ventures also participating .
Moment Energy , an EV shelling repurposing startup , raised $ 15 millionin a Series A rhythm carbon monoxide gas - lead by Amazon Climate Pledge Fund and Voyager Ventures . In - Q - Tel ( IQT ) , Version One Ventures , Overture Ventures , WovenEarth Ventures , Fika Ventures , MCJ , One Small Planet , and Climate Capital also participate .
Netradyne , which provides swift owners with AI - enabled dash cams that take in vehicle information and television to improve number one wood safety , raised $ 90 millionin a Series D round at a pre - money valuation of $ 1.35 billion . The round was led by Point72 Private Investments with participation from Qualcomm Ventures and Pavilion Capital .
Voltpost , the lamppost EV charge company , secured$2.6 million in grant fundingfrom the U.S. Joint Office of Energy and the Communities Taking Charge Accelerator to deploy 75 chargers across the tri - state region — New Jersey , New York , and Connecticut .
Notable reads and other tidbits
ADAS
TheNational Highway Traffic Safety Administration ’s Office of Defects Investigation“upgraded ” its investigationintoFord ’s hands - free ripe gadget driver - assistance scheme recognise as BlueCruise — a required pace before a recall can be issued .
Autonomous vehicles
Torc Robotics , the independent underling of Daimler Truck AG , is close its original examination location in Albuquerque and tech hub in Stuttgart while expanding elsewhere . The company isbuilding out an autonomous truck hubin the Dallas - Forth deserving region , specifically in the Hillwood AllianceTexas developing . The company enounce the Texas location will be a hub for independent testing , client freight pilots , and future commercialization slated for 2027 .
Electric vehicles, charging, & batteries
UBCO , the New Zealand - based electric bike inauguration , hasgone into receivership . The startup , which recentlysigned a deal with Australia Postto provide a new fleet of custom electric motorbikes , has finish all operation due to the deficiency of usable funding .
In-car tech
TheFederal Trade Commissionissued a proposed order to banGM — and its subscription - based in - fomite safety and security arrangement known as OnStar — from selling such datum to consumer reportage office for five years . The proposed order stems from allegations that GM compile , used , and sold driver ’ precise geolocation data and driving behavior information from millions of vehicle without adequately apprize consumers and receive their consent .
Two security research worker ( hacker ) found a elbow room toremotely unlock , startle , and trackmillions ofSubarus . The Japanese automaker has since fixed the vulnerabilities .
Space and future of flight
OK , space is n’t transportation really . But I will occasionally let in space stories of banknote because there is some lap with the industry . For example , theFederal Aviation Administrationhad to “ briefly ” sluggish anddivert a telephone number of aircraftin the airspace near Puerto Rico , where detritus was seen strike afterSpaceX ’s Starship explodedduring a tryout flight last Thursday .
Meanwhile , in other zephyr - related matters , Amazonpaused testingof its delivery drones following a clangoring involving two of its models .
This week’s wheels
While I was run around Las Vegas during CES 2025 , I spotted a societal medium post from Lucid . The EV maker was in Vegas and offer up rides in its all - newLucid Gravity SUV .
I spent about an hr with the Lucid Gravity SUV , which just went into yield last month . I have a farsighted inspection do in the next few days , but here ’s a sneak peep : Lucid pass with flying colors the interior . It ’s roomy , it ’s luxurious , and it has lots of details that excogitate the progression of Lucid . The society , it seems , is senesce .
Here is another curious impression . When I place upright outside the fomite , it did n’t quite feel or look like an SUV . Nor did it experience big . And yet , as soon as I rise inside this third - course EV , the capaciousness was hard to ignore . More to come !
What is “ This week ’s wheel ” ? It ’s a chance to study about the different transportation product we ’re testing , whether it ’s an electric or intercrossed machine , an vitamin E - motorcycle , or even a ride in an self-directed fomite .
