Happy Friday! This week in mobility... new investments, new vehicles, and more.
Need to Know
This week we saw a few exciting investments take place across the industry.
Mullen Automotive announced its acquisition of EV truck startup Bollinger Motors. This is Mullen’s first acquisition, hoping to propel the company into the commercial EV space.
Lightyear, a Dutch startup, announced a roughly $80 million investment to advance its mass-market solar-assisted electric car. The company noted this should also help fuel international expansion.
Finally, Nissan acquired shares in Vehicle Energy Japan, a company engaged in the automotive lithium-ion battery business. The move aligns with Nissan’s shift towards an electric-centered business strategy while securing a stable battery supplier for its future vehicles.
In Other News
🏛️ Regulatory. Uber has appealed to Kenya’s apex court to annul a new ride-hailing law that caps service fees at 18%. Tesla is being forced to change Autopilot features in Germany by regulators.
🚘 Passenger Vehicles. The Porsche Panamera is poised to go all-electric in the second half of the decade. Jeep is expected to introduce four electric SUVs in North America and Europe by the end of 2025. Mahindra unveils its first electric SUV. Yamaha updated its e-Vino electric scooter, boosting its tiny range.
🛞 Autonomous Tech. Waymo will begin testing its latest self-driving tech on the wet, wide streets of Bellevue, Washington.
⚡ Mobility Ecosystem. Macquarie launched Fleete, an EV charging subscription business. Toyota continues its fast BEV development pace with battery investments in the US and Japan.
📍Go to Market. Sono Motors is on track to put over 32,000 solar electric vehicles on roads this decade.
💼 Business. Go-Ahead, a UK public transport operator, was hit by a cyber-attack after finding “unauthorized activity” in its systems. Honda is cutting production at some of its Japanese plants by up to 40% due to supply chain issues. Uber Eats and Nuro sign a long-term partnership on autonomous deliveries. Toyota reached a $150 million settlement over a fuel pump recall. Ford is asking dealers to cut EV costs to customers by $2,000.
Interesting Reads
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