Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and information about the future of transport. Join here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility!
Your regular host Kirsten Korosec is taking a well-deserved vacation, so I’ll take you through the week’s transportation news. Top of mind is my colleague Sean O’Kane’s massive scoop on the EV startup collapse Fisherwhich features interviews with many current and former employees to help us understand how a startup with so much promise and hype could fall so far.
In other news this week, we’ve got funding for an e-bike subscription startup (I know, you thought micromobility was dead), geographic expansion to all your favorite robotaxi companies, and the two leading eVTOL companies based in the US. head as they prepare for commercial air taxis.
Oh, and some more Tesla drama as Elon Musk diverts Nvidia brands from the EV maker to the X — all ahead of a shareholder proposal that may decide once and for all whether Musk gets his astronomical pay package.
Before we dive in, a quick PSA. We’re less than a week away from the TC application deadline for the Startup Battlefield at Disrupt! Contestants get access to free Disrupt tickets plus additional passes and VIP access to all presentations, free exhibit space, investor interest, workshops and training on the pitch, and $100,000.
Startups, you have until June 10, 11:59 PM PDT to apply.
A little bird
Many birds talked to senior reporter Sean O’Kane about what’s going on behind EV startup Fisker. Several current and former employees have helped us understand how Fisker — which once made such a promise — is now on the brink of bankruptcy after delivering only a few thousand Ocean electric SUVs and laying off most of its staff last week.
Workers lay the blame at the feet of the husband-and-wife team, whose name is on the hood, for their failure to establish basic processes that are fundamental to any auto industry. The result? An SUV that has been mired in mechanical and software problems, for which customers have filed dozens of lawsuits.
The tea is hot in this scoop, a pre-death for Fisker. There are details of poor customer service, a flawed warranty system, a lack of parts, and how Fisker at one point lost track of about $16 million worth. But don’t take it from me. Sort out and read the article for yourself.
Do you have a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com, Sean O’Kane at sean.okane@techcrunch.com, or Rebecca Bellan at rebecca.bellan@techcrunch.com. Or see these instructions to learn how to contact us through encrypted messaging apps or SecureDrop.
Agreements!
This week’s most interesting deal has to be Neuron concept$27 million round. The Swiss startup uses artificial intelligence to help car designers model the performance of components before they are built.
The electric vehicle market is heating up as China floods Europe and the Middle East with cheap, smart cars. If automakers in Europe or the US are to keep up, reducing the time and costs associated with design and production will be essential.
Forestay Capital led the round, with participation from Alven, Constantia New Business, HTGF and Aster Group.
Other offers that caught my eye…
Euler MotorsIndian commercial electric vehicle manufacturer, raised $24 million in a Series C expansion. Backers include British International Investment, Blume Ventures and Piramal Alternatives.
Girevea French B2B platform for EV charging; raised 20 million euros to expand further in Europe and internationally and to develop new services. Partech led the round, with participation from Groupe EDF, ENEDIS, Banque des Territoires and Demeter.
Gogorothe electric two-wheeler battery exchange company listed through SPAC, has raised an additional $50 million from Gold Sino Assets.
Joby Aviation, a California-based eVTOL company, has acquired the autonomy division of Xwing, a developer of autonomous aviation technology. Terms of the deal were not disclosed, but the acquisition provides clarity on how Joby will use Xwing’s technology for both short-term pilot operations and fully autonomous future operations.
Whistlea New York-based e-bike subscription startup aimed at food delivery workers has raised $12 million in equity and debt from Leta Capital and Flashpoint VC.
Notable reads and other items
Autonomous vehicles
Cruise brought his robotaxis back to Dallas this week. The GM-backed company will map and test its self-driving cars there as it tries to restore public opinion.
Waymo extends the Metro Phoenix area an additional 90 miles, extending into North Phoenix to Desert Ridge, throughout downtown Mesa and throughout Scottsdale. Waymo will also begin operating on tribal land in partnership with the Salt River Pima-Maricopa Indian Community.
Zoox plans to test its robotaxis in Austin and Miami this summer, making them the Amazon-backed company’s fourth and fifth test cities. This comes the same week that federal regulators asked Zoox for more information as part of an investigation into rear-end crash risks arising from unexpected braking.
Electric vehicles, charging & batteries
Archer Aviation received its Part 135 air carrier certification from the Federal Aviation Administration, which authorizes the eVTOL startup to operate an on-demand air taxi service. Archer still needs to receive type certification for its Midnight air taxi to demonstrate that the aircraft meets all FAA design and safety standards, but it’s a step in the right direction.
Jeep unveiled its first EV for the US market, the Wagoneer S. The midsize SUV is priced at $72,000 and will be available at dealers this fall. Stellantis CEO Carlos Tavares also confirmed a $25,000 Electric Jeep is headed to America, in clear competition with Tesla and its now-discontinued $25,000 electric. Meanwhile, Jeep expects to sell 160,000 to 170,000 plug-in hybrid EVs in the US this year.
Elon Musk According to reports chip diversion Nvidia commits to Tesla at social networking company X (formerly Twitter). Musk defended the decision at X saying that Tesla had no place to store the chips while waiting for Giga Texas to be completed. Regardless, shareholders who are being bombarded with demands to vote down Musk’s exorbitant pay package may be worried. It marks a delay in Tesla receiving more than $500 million in GPUs needed to house the supercomputers the EV maker says it will use to develop autonomous vehicles and humanoid robots.
This week’s wheels
What is “This week’s wheels”? It’s an opportunity to learn about the different transportation products we’re testing, whether it’s an electric or hybrid car, an e-bike, or even a ride in an autonomous vehicle. Before Kirsten took off on vacation, she had a chance to try it out 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SEL. Here’s how it went:
I spent a week with the 2024 Mitsubishi Outlander PHEV SEL and came away with a positive impression of this plug-in hybrid vehicle that has an all-in price of $51,835. I wasn’t expecting much before it arrived – and maybe I was even a little apprehensive considering the price. And so I was pleasantly surprised to find a vehicle with some premium touches inside and a layout that’s easy for a driver to navigate. Natural buttons, people! It should be noted that there are some Nissan details here, such as the 12-inch infotainment screen.
This four-door SUV has approximately 38 miles of range when in EV mode. That was enough range to stay in EV mode all week. Only when I took the vehicle further did I step on the accelerator. One feature I found interesting was the ability to switch between several different modes (Normal, EV, Save and Charge). During “Charge” mode, energy is sent to the battery. During one mountain driving session, I was able to add about 15 miles of range to the battery as I returned to the valley below.
