EV Sales & Rivian: TechCrunch Mobility Update

TechCrunch Mobility Update

Greetings and welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility, your primary source for the latest news and perspectives on the evolving world of transportation. Free subscription is available – simply follow the TechCrunch Mobility link!

Holiday Edition & Platform Transition

Due to the upcoming 4th of July holiday, this week’s newsletter is a condensed version. If your travel plans involve driving, flying, or rail transport during the U.S. holiday – AAA forecasts 72.2 million travelers covering at least 50 miles – prioritize safety.

The full newsletter will resume its regular schedule next week.

Important Announcement: Moving to Beehiiv

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Recent Developments in Autonomous Vehicle Technology

Reports surfaced last week indicating that Travis Kalanick, the co-founder and former CEO of Uber, is exploring the acquisition of the U.S. operations of Pony AI, a Chinese autonomous vehicle firm. Investment backing for this potential purchase is currently being assembled, with speculation that Uber itself could play a facilitating role.

Key Personnel Involved

Sources suggest that Eric Meyhofer, a close associate of Kalanick and a veteran of Uber’s Advanced Technologies Group (ATG), is participating in this endeavor. Meyhofer’s background includes significant experience in robotics and autonomous systems.

Prior to joining Uber in 2015, Meyhofer was affiliated with the National Robotics Engineering Center at Carnegie Mellon University. He subsequently ascended to the position of CEO within Uber ATG, before the unit’s eventual sale to Aurora.

Meyhofer’s Continued Involvement

Meyhofer’s connection to Kalanick extends beyond Uber. He is linked to Kalanick’s CloudKitchens through Lab37, a company focused on restaurant automation and robotics. This connection was initially highlighted by The Spoon in 2023.

Lab37’s work demonstrates a continued focus on applying robotics and automation technologies to various industries.

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Recent Developments and Industry Insights

The Realm of Autonomous Vehicles

A novel phrase emerged during a recent episode of Autonocast, the podcast co-hosted by Alex Roy and Ed Niedermeyer (credit for the term goes to Roy). This phrase is MVAT, representing minimum viable autonomy theater – the deployment of the least autonomous product necessary to maintain a perception of advancement.

An instance of this could be Tesla’s demonstration of a Model Y completing a 15-mile journey from its factory to a customer’s residence, hailed by CEO Elon Musk as the first “autonomous delivery.” Should this be a singular event, a demonstration, it qualifies as an MVAT.

It’s important to note this isn’t solely directed at Tesla. Numerous companies have released impressive videos showcasing their automated driving technologies. However, such practices were more prevalent in 2015, during the peak of AV hype.

Electric Vehicles, Battery Technology, and Charging Infrastructure

The conclusion of the second quarter brings with it sales and production figures. While some automakers release monthly reports, certain EV companies only provide data on a quarterly basis.

Sales of the electric Hummer are nearing those of the F-150 Lightning.

Lucid is experiencing incremental sales growth as it prepares for the production ramp-up of the Gravity model.

Rivian has secured an additional $1 billion investment from Volkswagen, despite ongoing sales challenges.

Tesla is anticipating a second consecutive year of declining sales following a disappointing quarterly performance.

Simultaneously, Republican legislators have enacted a reconciliation act that significantly alters the Inflation Reduction Act. This includes the removal of incentives for solar, wind, and clean hydrogen technologies. Furthermore, tax credits for both new and used electric vehicles, as well as home EV-charging equipment, have been eliminated.

The elimination of EV tax credits is already impacting the industry, even affecting companies without currently available EVs. Slate Auto, a startup backed by Jeff Bezos, initially planned to offer a pickup truck for under $20,000 with the tax credit applied. However, their website now reflects the changes brought about by the new legislation.

News also emerges from the electric RV and van sector… Pebble, a California-based company, has begun delivering its all-electric travel trailer to customers. And Grounded, a Detroit-based startup founded by former SpaceX engineers, has delivered its G3 electric van to its first client.

Cybersecurity and Safety Concerns

The FBI, along with various cybersecurity firms, is issuing warnings about the hacking group Scattered Spider, which is now targeting the airline and transportation industries.

Qantas, a major Australian airline, has reported a data breach that compromised the personal information of over 6 million passengers.