EV News & Waymo Updates: TechCrunch Mobility Roundup

TechCrunch Mobility: Updates on EV Sales and Charging Standards

Welcome to TechCrunch Mobility, your primary source for news and perspectives on the evolving landscape of transportation. To receive this newsletter directly, a free subscription is available – simply click TechCrunch Mobility!

EV Sales Predictions Post-Tax Credit

Recent feedback suggests a cautious outlook regarding electric vehicle sales within the U.S. following the expiration of the federal tax credit. A poll conducted exclusively for email subscribers in the previous TechCrunch Mobility edition explored this very topic.

The poll asked for predictions concerning EV sales during the two quarters immediately after the $7,500 tax credit concludes. Approximately 60% of respondents anticipate a significant decrease in sales volume.

While this prediction isn't entirely disputed, it's likely some manufacturers will attempt to offset the credit's loss through temporary price adjustments, potentially for a single quarter. Automakers preparing to launch new EV models in late 2025 and 2026 could maintain a competitive advantage.

However, the implementation of tariffs is also expected to impact profit margins.

The Rise of Adapters: A New Challenge

Another potential obstacle is surfacing within the EV sector as automakers shift towards Tesla’s North American Charging Standard (NACS).

This challenge centers around the increasing need for charging adapters, often referred to as dongles.

Tim De Chant, a senior climate reporter and experienced EV owner, details how drivers may soon find themselves accumulating a collection of charging adapters.

GM and the Adapter Proliferation

General Motors (GM) initially released an adapter almost a year ago, enabling existing EVs to utilize Tesla Supercharger stations equipped with the NACS plug. This provided EV owners with expanded charging options.

GM has now announced the release of three additional adapters. These adapters broaden access to various EV chargers with differing rates and standards, enhancing flexibility but potentially sacrificing simplicity.

It is conceivable that households with multiple EVs could end up owning as many as four distinct adapters. Further details are available in the complete article here.

Publication Schedule Note

Important Notice: TechCrunch Mobility will be taking a break and will not be delivered next week. We appreciate your understanding and look forward to resuming publication the following week.

Industry Updates

We have two noteworthy pieces of information to share regarding developments within the electric vehicle sector.

Lucid Motors Leadership

Six months have passed since Peter Rawlinson relinquished his roles as CEO, CTO, and board member at Lucid Motors. This transition occurred as the company prepared to introduce its Gravity SUV.

Currently, Marc Winterhoff, previously a consultant at Roland Berger and COO of Lucid since 2023, is serving as interim CEO while a permanent successor is sought.

Sources indicate that Lucid’s search for a new CEO is extensive, even including unsolicited outreach to potential candidates.

It is also reported that Winterhoff is interested in securing the CEO position on a permanent basis.

Tesla's Dojo Supercomputer

Following Elon Musk’s announcement regarding the disbandment of the Dojo team, questions arose concerning the future of the planned supercomputer factory in Buffalo, New York.

Information received suggests that Tesla remains dedicated to investing $500 million in a supercomputer facility at this location.

Approximately $314 million of this investment was made last year, as reported to the state’s economic development department.

Speculation exists that the Buffalo facility may be rebranded to align with Tesla’s Cortex supercomputing cluster.

Maintaining a strong relationship with Tesla is a priority for Buffalo, as the automaker’s facility is a significant employer within the city.

Do you have information to share? Contact Kirsten Korosec at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com or via Signal at kkorosec.07, or Sean O’Kane at sean.okane@techcrunch.com

Recent Funding and Acquisitions

Investment activity was somewhat subdued this week, likely due to the concluding weeks of the summer season.

However, several noteworthy developments occurred within the mobility sector.

Funding Rounds

• Blue Water Autonomy, a company focused on the creation of autonomous maritime vessels for the U.S. Navy, secured $50 million in Series A funding.
• GV spearheaded the investment round, with additional participation from Eclipse Ventures, Riot, and Impatient Ventures.
• Vox AI, headquartered in Amsterdam, received €7.5 million in seed funding.
• This startup specializes in a conversational AI platform designed specifically for drive-through applications within the quick-service restaurant industry.

Acquisition News

Joby Aviation has finalized the acquisition of Blade.

This move signifies a strategic expansion for Joby Aviation within the urban air mobility market.

The acquisition is expected to enhance Joby’s capabilities and market reach.

Industry Updates and Key Developments

Aurora Innovation announced an integration of its autonomous trucking technology with the transportation management system developed by McLeod Software.

This integration will allow shared customers to manage shipments utilizing autonomous vehicles directly within McLeod’s TMS platform, potentially accelerating the broader adoption of self-driving trucks.

Testing of Tesla’s Full Self-Driving (Supervised) advanced driver-assistance system is now underway within the tunnels connecting the Las Vegas Convention Center to surrounding hotels, courtesy of The Boring Company.

The final remaining entity associated with the bankruptcy of Fisker Inc. has been dissolved. Founder Henrik Fisker and his wife, Geeta, have concluded the operations of their private charitable foundation.

Kodiak Robotics has appointed Surajit Datta to the position of chief financial officer. Datta brings prior experience as VP of finance from SentinelOne.

Kodiak is preparing to become a publicly listed company through a merger with a special purpose acquisition company (SPAC).

Internal documents suggest that Tesla may have been able to mitigate the $242.5 million Autopilot verdict. A separate report from The Washington Post details how a hacker assisted in recovering crucial crash data that was initially unavailable.

A security researcher discovered over 1,000 publicly accessible servers operated by Tesla vehicle owners.

These servers were inadvertently exposing sensitive vehicle data, including detailed location histories, highlighting potential security vulnerabilities.

California legislators and app-based transportation companies Lyft and Uber have reached an agreement just prior to Labor Day.

This agreement establishes a pathway for drivers to form unions, addressing ongoing concerns regarding worker rights and benefits.

Uncaged Innovations, a company specializing in biomaterials, is collaborating with Hyundai’s Cradle division to enhance its plant-based artificial leather for automotive applications.

The material is designed to replicate the look and feel of genuine leather and can even be customized with various scents.

Waymo co-CEO Dmitri Dolgov shared a video on X showcasing one of the company’s robotaxis successfully navigating a significant dust storm – a haboob – in Phoenix, Arizona.

Waymo’s commercial robotaxi fleet has now surpassed 2,000 vehicles. The fleet is distributed across several cities, including over 800 in the San Francisco Bay Area, 500 in Los Angeles, 400 in Phoenix, 100 in Austin, and a growing number in Atlanta.

A New Autonocast Episode is Available

A fresh installment of the Autonocast, the podcast co-hosted by myself, Alex Roy, and Ed Niedermeyer, has been released. This episode is particularly noteworthy for those following the convergence of marine, autonomous, and aviation technologies.

Interview with Regent’s CEO

In this latest episode, Alex Roy and I had the opportunity to speak with Billy Thalheimer. He is the co-founder and Chief Executive Officer of Regent, a company pioneering advancements in this field.

The discussion centers around Regent’s innovative work and the broader implications of autonomous systems across different transportation sectors. Listeners will gain valuable insights into the challenges and opportunities present at the intersection of these technologies.

We delve into the specifics of Regent’s approach and explore the potential impact of their developments on the future of travel. The conversation provides a comprehensive overview of their vision and progress.

This episode offers a unique perspective on the evolving landscape of autonomy, extending beyond the typical focus on automobiles. It’s a must-listen for anyone interested in the future of transportation.