A big step for air taxis
(3min read) Plus, great news on bikeshare!
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This week we’ve got big news for air taxis: the FAA has finalized training and certification rules, a big step towards eVTOLs deploying commercially in the U.S. The good news for the industry did not extend to German eVTOL startup Lilium, which has run out of cash.
Other big stories include the revelation that Tesla has been quietly testing robotaxis, record ridership for Washington D.C.’s bikeshare, a federal grant that will help build America’s first battery-repurposing facility, a new factory for e-motorbikes in Kenya and UPS experimenting with e-bike delivery in Paris.
Don’t forget… we are just 2 weeks away from CoMotion LA ‘24, Nov 13-14. Join the world’s leading future mobility gathering — Grab your tickets now!
What you need to know
FAA finalizes rules for air taxis: The Federal Aviation Administration releases final rules for pilot training and certification for eVTOL aircraft, removing one of the final obstacles to commercial deployment. It’s hard to say when we will see widespread use of air taxis, but it is likely that in the next few years airlines will begin offering short air taxi trips between airports and city destinations.
E-bikes propel D.C. bikeshare to record ridership: Capital Bikeshare, which services the nation’s capital and much of the surrounding area, reports that August was its highest ridership month ever. It was also the first month in which e-bikes accounted for a larger share of rides than pedal bikes.
A big first for battery repurposing: The U.S. Department of Energy awards $20 million to Moment Energy, a Canadian startup, to build the first battery repurposing facility in the U.S. Last month CoMotion spoke with Moment founder Sumreen Rattan about her vision for turning end-of-life EV batteries into energy storage systems.
Lilium runs out of money: German eVTOL startup Lilium shuts down after failing to secure more funding from the German government. The company had attracted major investors and even snagged a 100-vehicle order from Saudi Arabia but it burned through all of its cash before it could deliver.
UPS launches e-bike pilot in Paris: In what is perhaps a testament to how bike-friendly (and car-hostile) the French capital has become, UPS will make deliveries by e-bike in the tiny 2eme arrondissement in the historic city center.
CoMotion LA ‘24 & OMF Summit Sneak Peek
In this special episode of CoMotion’s Fast Forward Podcast, John Rossant sits down with Andrew Glass Hastings, Executive Director of the Open Mobility Foundation, to discuss what's in store for both CoMotion LA and the OMF Summit - and by extension, what's in store for our cities, roads, skies, and waterways. Hear from them about the emerging landscape of curbside data, the challenges of scaling innovative aerial transit, and how autonomy might just disrupt everything.
Join us at CoMotion LA on Nov. 13-14, and the OMF Summit on Nov. 12 - exploring multimodal, decarbonized mobility and the latest advancements in mobility-focused data and digital tools like the Mobility Data Specification and Curb Data Specification.
This year’s edition brings together an unprecedented array of thought-leaders in mobility – mayors, innovative policymakers, technology founders, and VC investors — along with international delegations with companies and startups from the United Kingdom, France, Spain, Finland, and the Netherlands.
Connect and strike deals with over 1000+ participants, 450+ companies and agencies, and 100+ speakers from across the globe!
UK mayors worry about transport funding: As the UK Transport Ministry seeks to cut a £22 billion shortfall that it says was “covered up” by the previous government, mayors around the country are worried that promised investments in public transit and bike and pedestrian infrastructure are in jeopardy.
Lyft fined for misleading earnings claims: The Federal Trade Commission hits the ride-hailing company with a $2.1 million sanction for exaggerating the wages that drivers could expect to make. Its advertisements in the Los Angeles area in 2021 and 2022 said that drivers would make $43 an hour, but only the top 20% of drivers were actually earning that much.
E-motorbikes ramping up in Kenya: Ampersand, an EV startup based in Rwanda, announces the opening of a new 21,000 square meter plant that will make e-motorbikes in Nairobi, Kenya, replacing a previous facility that was only a third as big. The new plant will make 60 vehicles a day, or about 1,440 a month. Electric motorcycles are a big draw in Kenya, including for use as boda-bodas, the motorcycle taxis that are a popular form of urban transportation.
Tesla has been testing robotaxis: Tesla has been conducting limited testing of autonomous ride-hailing in the Bay Area with a select group of employees. The cars have all had safety drivers present. Compared to what other AV companies are doing, it’s hardly impressive, but it shows that Tesla is actually taking steps towards integrating ride-hailing into its business model, as Elon Musk has promised.
What we’re reading
Who says Angelenos don’t walk? The New York Times talks to many otherwise car-dependent Angelenos who opted to walk, scooter or take transit to see the Dodgers over the weekend to avoid gridlock traffic and sky-high parking prices. Soon, they’ll be able to take gondolas to the game!
Transportation is a presidential issue: Writing for City Lab, transportation policy wonk Yonah Freemark highlights the big influence that a president can have on mobility investments around the country. A recent analysis of how the Trump and Biden administrations administered funds from two major federal funds revealed a “remarkable divergence” in priorities. The Trump administration focused on cars, while the Biden administration has shifted a lot more money to transit and pedestrian and bike infrastructure.
CoMotion's mobility goodness brought to you by:
Jack Craver,
Editor, CoMotion NEWS
jcraver@comotionglobal.com
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