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We’re just some days into a brand new Trump administration, and it’s already a firehose of govt orders, declarations, and even pardons. Just a few have crossed into the “future of transportation” world.
Now, first let’s be clear about govt orders. No matter who’s president, govt orders could be political theater and infrequently battle straight with constitutional legislation. However they are often useful alerts into the priorities of the particular person sitting within the Oval Workplace.
For President Trump, it’s clear he’s not a fan of EV incentives — of any variety.
Among the many slew of govt orders he signed on the first day of his second time period, Trump ordered all businesses to instantly pause disbursement of funds from the Inflation Discount Act and Bipartisan Infrastructure Legislation. He particularly referred to as out funding for EV charging infrastructure from the Nationwide Electrical Automobile Infrastructure Formulation Program and the Charging and Fueling Infrastructure Grant Program. It needs to be famous that Tesla — led by Trump ally Elon Musk — has benefited from these packages.
We’ll be watching — and reporting on — how this performs out and which firms are most in danger.
Somewhat fowl
Oh, Canoo! What you possibly can have been. Canoo filed for Chapter 7 chapter and has ceased all operations. We’ll be following this because it winds by means of chapter courtroom.
Right here’s some element you won’t know: Just a few months earlier than Canoo went kaput, the corporate shuttered its former headquarters in Los Angeles. Just a few little birds instructed us that, within the months earlier than Canoo filed for chapter, a number of workers relocated from California to the corporate’s places of work in Oklahoma and Texas — leaving them jobless in a brand new location.
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Offers!
Discuss locking in a deal on the eleventh hour.
Rivian and the Division of Power (DOE) finalized a $6.6 billion mortgage introduced in November just some days earlier than Trump’s inauguration. The corporate will use the mortgage to assist construct out its deliberate manufacturing unit in Georgia, east of Atlanta, with building starting in 2026. The primary R2 SUVs are scheduled to return off the road in 2028.
The mortgage comes from the Superior Know-how Autos Manufacturing (ATVM) program, a part of the DOE’s Mortgage Applications Workplace. ATVM is most well-known as this system that gave Tesla a $465 million lifeline in 2009.
Different offers that obtained my consideration …
Ati Motors, an Indian autonomous robotics startup, raised $20 million in an all-equity Sequence B funding spherical co-led by Walden Catalyst Ventures and NGP Capital. It additionally featured current buyers, together with True Ventures, Exfinity Enterprise Companions, Athera Enterprise Companions, and Blume Ventures.
Lyteflo, a Canadian EV software program gross sales startup, raised $3 million in seed funding led by Diagram. Whitecap Enterprise Companions and Amplify Capital additionally participated.
Metafuels, a Swiss aviation gas startup, raised $9 million in a spherical led by Celsius Industries. Different new buyers embrace RockCreek, Fortescue Ventures, and Verve Ventures, with current backers Power Impression Companions and Contrarian Ventures additionally taking part.
Second Power, an EV battery repurposing startup, raised $15 million in a Sequence A spherical co-led by Amazon Local weather Pledge Fund and Voyager Ventures. In-Q-Tel (IQT), Model One Ventures, Overture Ventures, WovenEarth Ventures, Fika Ventures, MCJ, One Small Planet, and Local weather Capital additionally participated.
Netradyne, which gives fleet house owners with AI-enabled sprint cams that accumulate automobile knowledge and video to enhance driver security, raised $90 million in a Sequence D spherical at a pre-money valuation of $1.35 billion. The spherical was led by Point72 Non-public Investments with participation from Qualcomm Ventures and Pavilion Capital.
Voltpost, the lamppost EV charging firm, secured $2.6 million in grant funding from the U.S. Joint Workplace of Power and the Communities Taking Cost Accelerator to deploy 75 chargers throughout the tri-state area —New Jersey, New York, and Connecticut.
Notable reads and different tidbits
ADAS
The Nationwide Freeway Site visitors Security Administration’s Workplace of Defects Investigation “upgraded” its investigation into Ford’s hands-free superior driver-assistance system often called BlueCruise — a required step earlier than a recall could be issued.
Autonomous automobiles
Torc Robotics, the impartial subsidiary of Daimler Truck AG, is closing its authentic testing location in Albuquerque and tech hub in Stuttgart whereas increasing elsewhere. The corporate is constructing out an autonomous truck hub within the Dallas-Forth Price space, particularly in the Hillwood AllianceTexas improvement. The corporate stated the Texas location can be a hub for autonomous testing, buyer freight pilots, and future commercialization slated for 2027.
Electrical automobiles, charging, & batteries
UBCO, the New Zealand-based electrical bike startup, has gone into receivership. The startup, which not too long ago signed a cope with Australia Publish to supply a brand new fleet of customized electrical motorbikes, has ceased all operations as a result of lack of obtainable funding.
In-car tech
The Federal Commerce Fee issued a proposed order to ban GM — and its subscription-based in-vehicle security and safety system often called OnStar — from promoting such knowledge to shopper reporting businesses for 5 years. The proposed order stems from allegations that GM collected, used, and bought drivers’ exact geolocation knowledge and driving conduct info from tens of millions of automobiles with out adequately notifying customers and acquiring their consent.
Two safety researchers (hackers) discovered a technique to remotely unlock, begin, and observe tens of millions of Subarus. The Japanese automaker has since fastened the vulnerabilities.
Area and way forward for flight
OK, house isn’t transportation actually. However I’ll often embrace house tales of word as a result of there may be some overlap with the industries. For instance, the Federal Aviation Administration needed to “briefly” gradual and divert various plane within the airspace close to Puerto Rico, the place particles was seen falling after SpaceX’s Starship exploded throughout a check flight final Thursday.
In the meantime, in different air-related issues, Amazon paused testing of its supply drones following a crash involving two of its fashions.
This week’s wheels
Whereas I used to be working round Las Vegas throughout CES 2025, I noticed a social media put up from Lucid. The EV maker was in Vegas and providing rides in its all-new Lucid Gravity SUV.
I spent about an hour with the Lucid Gravity SUV, which simply went into manufacturing final month. I’ve an extended assessment coming within the subsequent few days, however right here’s a sneak peek: Lucid nails the inside. It’s roomy, it’s luxurious, and it has numerous particulars that mirror the development of Lucid. The corporate, it appears, is maturing.
Right here is one other curious impression. Once I stood exterior the automobile, it didn’t fairly really feel or appear to be an SUV. Nor did it really feel massive. And but, as quickly as I climbed inside this third-row EV, the spaciousness was exhausting to disregard. Extra to return!
What’s “This week’s wheels”? It’s an opportunity to study in regards to the completely different transportation merchandise we’re testing, whether or not it’s an electrical or hybrid automobile, an e-bike, or perhaps a experience in an autonomous automobile.
