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Do n’t concern , this is still your fundamental hub for news program and insights on the futurity of transportation . This calendar week , read aboutAmazon , EV startupFisker , galvanic boat , a caboodle of new financing heap and my clock time driving the all - newKia EV9 .
Let ’s go !
A little bird
A little bird point us to a new internet site with some electric trucks that sure do search intimate .
RememberLordstown Motors , the EV startup that went public via a SPAC and has since filed for bankruptcy protection?Steve Burns , who establish and was then ousted from Lordstown Motors , is back with a raw EV inauguration calledLandX Motors .
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Thenew LandX Motors websiteprominently expose the same electric Endurance pickup arm truck he once promised would baffle Tesla , Ford and General Motors to market .
A person familiar with the company ’s plans told TechCrunch that it ’s not so much about the Endurance truck , but the underlying political platform , software and engineering behind it . Still , with the former Lordstown trucks playing a starring persona on company ’s site and video , it ’s unreadable just how developed this plan is .
require to reach out with a tip , comment or complaint ? Email Kirsten atkirsten.korosec@techcrunch.comorsean.okane@techcrunch.com . If you choose to remain anon. , click here to contact us , which includes SecureDrop ( instructions here ) and various encrypted electronic messaging apps .
Deal of the week
provision concatenation logistics startupFlexporthad a rather disruptive 2023 that included founderRyan Petersenousting his hired hand - picked successorand taking back the CEO topographic point and thenacquiring the assetsof shutter digital consignment web Convoy .
The inauguration is kicking off 2024 by shoring up its concern with a $ 260 million “ uncapped convertible note ” fromShopify , a passel that was announced by Petersen in a series of posts on social media site X.
As a admonisher , Shopify and Flexport are already attached . Flexport acquired in 2023 Shopify ’s logistics subdivision . The hand gave Shopify 13 % equity bet in Flexport and a seat on the plank .
Other deals that got my care …
Electra , the Paris - based EV charge startup , raised $ 330 millionin a Series B stave led by Dutch pension investment company service provider PGGM and Bpifrance ’s Large Venture fund . Eurazeo , RIVE Private Investment , the SNCF grouping through 574 Invest and Serena also participated .
Franziska Bossart , the new drumhead of the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund , spoke to me about how the$1 billion fund is evolving . Tl;dr : She ’s expanding its geographic focal point to Asia and Europe , and homing in on three areas , admit AI .
International Battery Company , a startup build up lithium - ion battery cell for eV , upraise $ 35 millionin a pre - Series A rhythm lead by RTP Global .
Land Moto , the Cleveland - based electric motorcycle inauguration , raised $ 3 millionin a daily round lead by a special purpose venture fomite call Nunc Coepi Ventures .
Lightship , an all - electric RV inauguration , raised $ 34 million in a Series B round co - led by Obvious Ventures and Prelude Ventures . Other new investors admit Allegis Capital and global RV manufacturer THOR Industries and its investment partner TechNexus Venture Collaborative .
Northvolt , the Swedish battery startup , secured a$5 billion debt dealto aid pay for the expansion of its first gigafactory . As TC+ newsman Tim de Chant writes : “ Northvolt ’s $ 5 billion loanword wo n’t be enough to insure success , but it should be enough to help ramp up its production to a targeted 60 gigawatt hr . ”
Ubershut downalcohol delivery serviceDrizlythree years after the taxi - hail troupe acquired it for $ 1.1 billion .
Notable reads and other tidbits
Autonomous vehicles
TuSimplewilldelist itself from the Nasdaq stock exchangeas it go forward with its architectural plan to to the full perish the U.S. market .
Electric vehicles, charging & batteries
BMW ’s future increase depends on EVs , andit ’s finally going all in , TC+ reporter Tim de Chants writes .
Fisker’selectric Ocean SUV isunder investigationby federal regulator over braking loss complaint .
GMrecalled 66 electrical delivery vansmade by itsBrightDropsubsidiary after the front drive units in at least two of them caught fire late last year . The cause seems to be have-to doe with to a manufacture mar .
Navier , the electric sauceboat startup , has launched a pilot programme for itshydrofoiling watercraft via a partnership withStripeto convey passengers from San Francisco ’s outskirts to the downtown surface area .
Future of flight
Wing , the trailer - powered saving company operated byAlphabet , intends tointroduce a larger craftcapable of delivering grueling packages to customers .
This week’s wheels
I head to Napa Valley to attempt out theKia EV9 – an all - electric SUV with three rows that many believe will impart a whole unexampled batch of EV customers into the market .
Before I give some abbreviated thought on what I did and did n’t wish , here are a few specs . The Kia EV9 hail in five trims with the cheapest — the rearward - wheel drive EV9 Light — starting at $ 54,900 . I tested the GT - Line trim , an all - roulette wheel drive top - of - the - line variation that has a range of 270 miles and starts at $ 73,900 ( For equivalence , the Rivian R1S , which is AWD , come with standard with 260 miles of chain and starts at $ 78,000 . The Kia EV9 Light RWD trimming equipped with the bigger shelling has the best compass of 304 miles .
What did I like ? It stay well plant on winding roads , even if I pushed the vehicle a moment . It ’s also quiet , has the form of home detail one might look in a insurance premium - price SUV , the seats are comfortable and the sophisticated driver assistance organization is easy to operate . The third run-in is n’t exactly roomy , but for certain better than many three - row S.U.V. I have been in .
There were a few misses . I do mean that Kia missed an opportunity by not give the EV9 back end - steering wheel axle steering and I ’m not sure if the battery range , which is between 230 mile and 304 miles depending on the trim , is enough for buyer . Finally , the layout of the internal cabin is almost there , but I ’m still not sure I love the position of the start button and gear gearstick ( it ’s a stock tucked behind the steerage wheel ) .
