Transportation Weekly: Waymo unleashes laser bear, Bird spreads its wings, Lyft tightens its belt

Welcome back to Transportation Weekly; I’m your host Kirsten Korosec, senior transportation reporter at TechCrunch . This is the fifth edition of our newsletter and we love the reader feedback. Keep it coming. Never heard of TechCrunch’s Transportation Weekly? Catch up here, here and here. As I’ve written before, consider this a soft launch. Follow […]

View More Transportation Weekly: Waymo unleashes laser bear, Bird spreads its wings, Lyft tightens its belt

These teeny electric cars are so cute you won’t mind constantly recharging

Who knew cars could be so cute? And electric? 
At this year’s Geneva Motor Show in Switzerland, electric vehicles were everywhere, but a few stood out. Not for their impressive range and battery capacity, but for their small size and cute factor…

View More These teeny electric cars are so cute you won’t mind constantly recharging

VW’s futuristic all-electric dune buggy embraces its 1960s’ roots

Volkswagen has added another member to its ever-expanding I.D. line of concept electric vehicles that’s meant to showcase the automaker’s electric future. This time it’s the I.D. Buggy, an all-electric dune buggy with some 1960s California subculture flair. The I.D. Buggy, which made its global debut Monday at the 89th Geneva International Motor Show, is […]

View More VW’s futuristic all-electric dune buggy embraces its 1960s’ roots

Transportation Weekly: Polestar CEO speaks, Tesla terminology, and a tribute

Welcome back to Transportation Weekly; I’m your host Kirsten Korosec, senior transportation reporter at TechCrunch . This is the fourth edition of our newsletter, a weekly jaunt into the wonderful world of transportation and how we (and our packages) move. This week we chat with Polestar CEO Thomas Ingenlath, dig into Lyft’s S-1, take note […]

View More Transportation Weekly: Polestar CEO speaks, Tesla terminology, and a tribute

VW’s Electrify America will use Tesla battery packs to lower charging costs

Electrify America, the entity set up by Volkswagen as part of its settlement with U.S. regulators over its diesel emissions cheating scandal, plans to install Tesla Powerpack battery systems at more than 100 of its electric vehicle charging stations this year. Electrify America aims to use the Tesla Powerpacks to offset the cost of charging for […]

View More VW’s Electrify America will use Tesla battery packs to lower charging costs

With its Greenlots acquisition, Shell is moving from gas stations to charging stations

In a bid to show that it’s getting ready for the electrification of American roads, Royal Dutch Shell is buying Greenlots, a Los Angeles-based developer of electric vehicle charging and energy management technologies. Shell, which is making the acquisition through its Shell New Energies US subsidiary, snatched the company from Energy Impact Partners, a cleantech-focused […]

View More With its Greenlots acquisition, Shell is moving from gas stations to charging stations

VW investing $800M in Tennessee factory to make next-generation electric vehicles

Volkswagen will spend $800 million to expand a U.S. factory that will produce the automaker’s next generation of electric vehicles. The factory in Chattanooga, Tenn. will be the company’s North American base for manufacturing electric vehicles, VW CEO Dr. Herbert Diess said during a presentation at the Detroit Auto Show on Monday. The expansion is expected […]

View More VW investing $800M in Tennessee factory to make next-generation electric vehicles

Didi launches lending and insurance as new regulation threatens to lower driver numbers

Didi Chuxing, China’s dominant ride-hailing firm, is rolling out a range of financial and insurance services as it looks to fortify its service against a range of challenges in 2019. The company announced today that it is adding “protection” insurance and credit services for both passengers and drivers who use its platform. The former is […]

View More Didi launches lending and insurance as new regulation threatens to lower driver numbers

The end of China’s ride-sharing gig

Over the last few years, millions of Chinese workers managed to earn extra money by being ride-hailing drivers. Many picked the gig because of its flexible schedule. For those who could not otherwise afford to own a car in China’s pricy metropolises, driving around is also a status symbol, even if they are paying off […]

View More The end of China’s ride-sharing gig

BMW’s premium ride-hailing service is now live in China

BMW has joined a handful of automakers to compete with transportation upstart Didi Chuxing, which bought Uber’s Chinese business in 2016. Last Friday, the German luxury carmaker launched a premium ride-hailing service in Chengdu, the capital of China’s Sichuan Province with over 14 million people. The new offer is part of BMW’s ReachNow carsharing brand that kicked […]

View More BMW’s premium ride-hailing service is now live in China

Audi to spend nearly $16 billion on self-driving car tech, electrification through 2023

Audi, the Germany luxury automaker under VW Group, said Tuesday it will invest 14 billion euros ($15.95 billion) over the next five years on future transportation technologies such as electric mobility, autonomous driving and digital services. These investments, made through 2023, will include spending on property, factories and equipment as well as research and development. […]

View More Audi to spend nearly $16 billion on self-driving car tech, electrification through 2023

ChargePoint raises $240 million to serve an anticipated flood of electric vehicles

Electric vehicle charging network ChargePoint has raised $240 million in a Series H funding round that attracted a diverse group of investors from the automotive, energy, financial, venture capital, utilities, and even oil and gas industries. New investors in the round include American Electric Power, Chevron Technology Ventures, Canada Pension Plan Investment Board, Daimler Trucks […]

View More ChargePoint raises $240 million to serve an anticipated flood of electric vehicles