Ahead of Election Day, various transportation companies are offering free and discounted rides to help voters reach polling stations. Lime, Bird, and Spin are providing free micromobility rides, while Lyft and Uber offer discounted ride-hail services. Hertz and Zipcar have special rental offers, and Google and Moovit are assisting with navigation to polling places. Numerous transit agencies are also providing free rides to encourage voter turnout.
Bird Global, once valued at $2 billion, has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy after facing financial challenges exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The company, known for its rentable electric scooters, saw a decline in ridership during the pandemic and was delisted from the New York Stock Exchange for failing to maintain its market cap. Behind the scenes, Bird outsourced logistics to contractors, leading to issues with stolen or abused scooters. Additionally, problems with the design of Bird's second-generation scooter, including a flawed hydraulic brake, caused further complications. The story provides insights from former fleet managers who shed light on the challenges faced by the company.
Bird, once valued at over $2 billion, has faced a tumultuous journey as the largest micromobility company in North America. The company's fleet managers, responsible for the logistics of scattering scooters around cities, have described their unstable and punishing relationships with Bird. As the company struggled, fleet managers faced updated contracts that significantly reduced their income. Some fleet managers have resorted to carrying guns or Tasers for protection against thieves and vandals. Bird recently announced its bankruptcy filing, leaving the future of its fleet managers uncertain.
Electric scooter company Bird has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy as it seeks to restructure its financials and strengthen its balance sheet. The company's stock has plummeted since going public in 2021, leading to its delisting from the NYSE. Bird plans to sell its assets through a bidding process over the next four months. The Canadian and European operations of the company are not affected by the bankruptcy filing. This news follows the delisting of competitor Micromobility.com and layoffs at other micromobility startups, indicating a challenging year for the industry.
Cruise, the autonomous vehicle company backed by General Motors, has laid off 900 workers and dismissed nine top leaders in an effort to salvage years of technological progress. Meanwhile, Superpedestrian, a scooter-sharing startup, has abruptly shut down its U.S. operations and is exploring the sale of its European business. The shared micromobility industry has proven to be challenging, with companies like Bird and Micromobility.com facing financial difficulties. In other transportation news, several deals were announced, including investments in sustainable aviation fuel, new energy vehicle fleet management, EV charging solutions, and electric motorcycle battery swapping. Additionally, there are updates on autonomous vehicle regulations in China, Waymo's expansion, and the push for anti-drunk-driving technology in cars.
A San Diego man, Carlos Mercado, lost his memory after being involved in an e-scooter accident and suffering a head injury. He has no recollection of major life events, including his wedding anniversary and his child's birthday. Mercado initially refused medical attention but was later diagnosed with a head injury and admitted to the hospital. His e-scooter was found bent in half, and his family is seeking information about the incident. A report by the US Consumer Product Safety Commission revealed a 21% increase in injuries related to e-bikes and e-scooters. The report also highlighted the importance of safety measures, including wearing helmets and avoiding overnight charging.
Electric skateboard-maker Future Motion has agreed to recall all of its OneWheels, a self-balancing electric mobility device, after initially refusing to do so. The recall comes after reports of the OneWheel cutting out when its speed limit is reached, posing a crash hazard. The Consumer Product Safety Commission has reported four deaths of OneWheel riders in recent years. Future Motion is urging owners to download a firmware update that includes a warning system to alert riders when nearing the board's limits. This recall adds to the growing number of recalls in the micromobility space.
The California Public Utilities Commission has approved permits for Cruise and Waymo to offer commercial robotaxi services in San Francisco, marking a win for the autonomous vehicle industry. Veo, a shared micromobility operator, is expanding into the retail space with the launch of its Cosmo seated scooter for direct-to-consumer sales. Serve Robotics, the autonomous sidewalk delivery robot startup, is going public through a reverse merger with a blank-check company after raising $30 million in funding. Archer Aviation has raised $215 million in new capital and settled its trade secret legal dispute with rival Wisk, agreeing to collaborate and make Wisk its exclusive provider of autonomy technology. In other news, Inrix has raised $70 million in financing, Proterra has filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, and Treehouse, a home EV charging startup, has raised $10 million in funding.
Mercedes is adding OpenAI's conversational AI agent ChatGPT to its MBUX infotainment system in about 900,000 vehicles. Bike buses are becoming popular in the US, and a study in the UK found that 66% of bikeshare users began cycling more after using the service. LeddarTech, the automotive sensor and perception software developer, will go public via a merger with special purpose acquisition company Prospector Capital Corp. Saudi Arabia signed a $5.6 billion deal with Chinese EV maker Human Horizons to collaborate on the development, manufacture and sale of vehicles. TrueCar is laying off 24% of staff due to a restructure.
Legacy automakers Ford and GM have announced plans to integrate Tesla's EV charging connector design into their next-generation EVs, starting in 2025. Tesla's North American Charging Standard is gaining ground and fueling an EV charging standards war. Micromobility updates include e-bike subsidies in various regions, Hilo's smart e-scooter, and Montreal's $170 fine for blocking bike lanes. In other news, TuSimple has received a fully driverless test permit in Shanghai, Aviant is launching its drone home delivery service called Kyte, and Apple Maps will show real-time EV charging availability information.
The New York International Auto Show highlighted the auto industry's push towards zero-emission vehicles, with electric vehicles, trucks, SUVs, and EV charging taking center stage. Meanwhile, Paris residents voted to ban shared e-scooters, but personal e-scooters are not affected by the ban. In other news, Arrival, the EV startup, agreed to merge with a different SPAC called Kensington Capital Acquisition Corp. V, and Cruise filed a voluntary recall to update the software in 300 robotaxis after one struck the back of a city bus in San Francisco. Tesla tripled its workforce last year at its manufacturing hub in Austin, Texas, and Lyft is relaunching a service called Lyft Green that will allow riders to request an electric or hybrid vehicle for their next pickup.
Paris residents voted overwhelmingly to ban rental e-scooters, making it the first major European city to do so. The ban will come into effect on September 1, 2020, and will only apply to e-scooters for hire, not those owned by individuals. The low turnout of 7.46% has led e-scooter operators to claim that the vote was not representative of the city's residents. The ban could encourage other cities to enact similar restrictions on micromobility.
Helbiz, a shared micromobility company, will undergo a reverse stock split and rebrand to Micromobility.com in an attempt to comply with Nasdaq regulations and position itself as a micromobility brand offering retail, rentals, shared micromobility, and sports streaming services. The company will also launch a brick-and-mortar retail business, starting with a store in SoHo, New York City. However, the company's cash reserves are meager, and it had a net loss of $82 million in 2022. The stock closed at $0.12, down 4.5%, and tumbled as much as 20% in after-hours trading.
