Welcome to TechCrunch Mobility – the same weekly newsletter you’ve been reading, but with a new name and a few changes.
Don’t worry, it’s still your hub for long-term transportation news and data. This week, check out Amazon, electric vehicle startup Fisker, electric boats, a bunch of new investment deals, and my time, the wheel of the new Kia EV9.
Let’s go!
A little bird pointed out a novelty with electric trucks that is familiar to us.
Remember Lordstown Motors, the EV startup that went public as a SPAC and has since filed for bankruptcy?Steve Burns, who founded and later toppled Lordstown Motors, is back with a new EV startup called LandX Motors.
The new LandX Motors prominently features the same Endurance electric pickup truck that once promised it would outperform Tesla, Ford, and General Motors in the market.
A user familiar with the company’s plans told TechCrunch that it’s not so much about the Endurance truck as it is about the platform, software, and engineering. Still, with old Lordstown trucks playing a starring role on the company’s online page and video, it’s unclear how evolved this plan is.
Want to reach out with a tip, comment or complaint? Email Kirsten at [email protected] or [email protected]. If you prefer to remain anonymous, click here to contact us, which includes SecureDrop (instructions here) and various encrypted messaging apps.
Supply chain logistics startup Flexport had a rather tumultuous 2023 that included founder Ryan Petersen ousting his hand-picked successor and taking back the CEO spot and then acquiring the assets of shuttered digital freight network Convoy.
The startup is kicking off 2024 by shoring up its business with a $260 million “uncapped convertible note” from Shopify, a deal that was announced by Petersen in a series of posts on social media site X.
As a reminder, Shopify and Flexport are already attached. Flexport will be the logistics arm of Shopify in 2023. The deal gave Shopify a 13% stake in Flexport and a seat on the board of directors.
Other offers that caught my eye. . .
Electra, the Paris-based EV charging startup, raised $330 million in a Series B round led by Dutch pension fund service provider PGGM and Bpifrance’s Large Venture fund. Eurazeo, RIVE Private Investment, the SNCF group through 574 Invest and Serena also participated.
Franziska Bossart, the new head of Amazon’s Industrial Innovation Fund, explained to me how the billion-dollar fund is evolving. dr: It is expanding its geographic reach to Asia and Europe and is focusing on three areas, adding AI.
International Battery Company, a startup that is developing lithium-ion battery cells for electric vehicles, has raised $35 million in a pre-Series A led through RTP Global.
Cleveland-based electric motorcycle startup Land Moto has raised $3 million through a special purpose venture capital vehicle called Nunc Coepi Ventures.
Lightship, an all-electric RV startup, raised $34 million in a Series B circular co-led by Obvious Ventures and Prelude Ventures. Other new investors include Allegis Capital and global motorhome manufacturer THOR Industries and its investment partner TechNexus Venture Collaborative.
Swedish battery startup Northvolt has secured a $5 billion debt deal to help fund the expansion of its first gigafactory. As TC journalist Tim de Chant writes: “Northvolt’s $5 billion loan won’t be enough to guarantee success, but it will be enough to help it ramp up its production to the 60-gigawatt-hour target. “
Uber shut down alcohol delivery service Drizly three years after acquiring it through the taxi company for $1. 1 billion.
TuSimple will be delisted from the Nasdaq as it moves forward with its plan to exit the U. S. market entirely.
BMW’s long-term expansion is based on electric vehicles, and yet it’s all in, writes TC journalist Tim de Chants.
Fisker’s Ocean electric SUV is under investigation by federal regulators following court cases similar to a loss of braking.
GM has recalled 66 electric delivery vans made through its subsidiary BrightDrop after the front-wheel drive of at least two of them jammed late last year. The cause appears to be due to a production defect.
Navier, the electric boat startup, has launched a pilot program for its hydrofoiling watercraft via a partnership with Stripe to bring passengers from San Francisco’s outskirts to the downtown area.
Wing, the drone delivery company operated through Alphabet, intends to introduce a larger contraption that can deliver heavier packages to customers.
Image credits: Kirsten Korosec
I traveled to Napa Valley to test drive the Kia EV9, a three-row all-electric SUV that many hope will bring a new group of EV consumers to the market.
Before I give some abbreviated thoughts on what I did and didn’t like, here are a few specs. The Kia EV9 comes in five trims with the cheapest — the rear-wheel drive EV9 Light — starting at $54,900. I tested the GT-Line trim, an all-wheel drive top-of-the-line version that has a range of 270 miles and starts at $73,900 (For comparison, the Rivian R1S, which is AWD, comes with standard with 260 miles of range and starts at $78,000. The Kia EV9 Light RWD trim equipped with the bigger battery has the best range of 304 miles.
What did I like? It stayed well planted on winding roads, even if I drove the vehicle a bit. It’s also quiet, has the kind of interior detailing you’d expect in a premium SUV, the seats are comfortable, and the complex driver-assist formula is easy to activate. The third row is precisely spacious, but it’s actually larger than many three-row SUVs I’ve driven.
There were a few hiccups. I think Kia missed an opportunity by not providing EV9 rear axle guidance and I don’t know if the battery range, which ranges from 230 to 304 miles depending on the trim, is enough for buyers. However, I’m still not sure I like the placement of the home button and shifter (it’s inventory hidden in the guide wheel).