America’s transportation culture war
(5min read) And Elon Musk says 1 million robotaxis are coming.
Welcome to CoMotion NEWS, your weekly roundup of news and analysis of the mobility revolution. If this email was forwarded, you can sign up here for NEWS.
Mobility and politics have always been intertwined, but traditionally you could count on transportation policy enduring longer than one election cycle. Last week, however, the House passed a bill that would end hundreds of billions in EV tax credits put in place by Democrats three years ago and the Senate voted to kill California’s EV mandate. Amidst this whipsaw partisan conflict, the U.S. is failing to do the basics –– as demonstrated by the ongoing problems at Newark Liberty International Airport.
And there is no shortage of policy skirmishes at street level: New York cops hand e-bikers criminal summonses for infractions that earn car drivers mere tickets, Colorado’s governor clashes with his own party over ride-hail regulations, and Lyft faces allegations of gaming L.A.’s bike-share RFP.
Elon Musk isn’t worried though: Tesla has yet to launch one robotaxi but he says it’s only 18 months away from a million. It could certainly use some good news –– BYD just bumped it out of Europe’s top 10 EV makers.
What you need to know
Congress votes to upend California’s EV regs: The U.S. Senate votes 51-44 to revoke a waiver that for more than 50 years has allowed California to set its own tailpipe emissions regulations. The state was empowered to set stricter air quality rules during the Nixon administration as it struggled to combat suffocating smog in Los Angeles.
The state’s current regs essentially require 35% of new vehicle sales to be EVs by 2026 and 100% by 2035. Senate Republicans claim the revocation is a legitimate use of the Congressional Review Act, despite guidance from the Government Accountability Office and the Senate Parliamentarian to the contrary.
…California prepares to sue: California Attorney General Rob Bonta says the state will sue the Trump administration to maintain its EV regulations. Bonta cites the rulings from the GOA and Senate Parliamentarian as evidence that the law is on his side. Fasten your seatbelts, folks.
No Strings Attached: Open Loop Payments with Ben Lebedin
Why is it often easier to pay for a cup of coffee than it is to pay for a ride on transit? In this weeks episode of CoMotion’s Fast Forward Podcast, Nick Perloff-Giles sits down with Ben Lebedin from US Bank & Elavon to discuss the opportunities presented by open-loop payments, the benefits of the service to both consumers and transit agencies, and the treasure trove of data that it presents.
A Big Beautiful Speed Bump for EVs: The “Big Beautiful Bill Act” passed by House Republicans would eliminate federal EV incentives, including the $7,500 credit for new EVs and the $4,000 credit for used ones. The legislation also proposes new annual fees of $250 for EV owners and $100 for hybrid drivers, aiming to replace traditional gas taxes for infrastructure funding.
Luminar’s layoffs pay off: After the departure of its embattled CEO and a round of layoffs, Luminar, the startup that makes vision-based lidar for autonomous vehicles, reaches a deal with investors that will inject up to $200 million into the company over the next year-and-a-half.
Musk says robotaxis a month away: Elon Musk says Tesla will launch a fleet of about 10 driverless vehicles in Austin at the end of June. With characteristic hyperbole, Musk says he expects that by the end of 2026 there will be one million driverless Teslas in the U.S., whose owners will be able to make money by opting them into the robotaxi network.
BYD overtakes Tesla in Europe: The Chinese EV maker delivers slightly more EVs in April than Tesla, knocking Elon Musk’s company out of the top 10 for European EV sales. BYD’s sales nearly tripled year-over-year despite the steep tariffs the EU has imposed on Chinese vehicles in a bid to protect its domestic manufacturers. VW is by far the top-selling EV maker on the continent, with BMW a distant second.
NYC is tougher on e-bikes than cars: How does it make sense that a driver who blows a red light gets a ticket but an e-bike rider gets a criminal summons? But that’s the situation in New York City, where the police are making a big point of cracking down on traffic violations by e-bikes.
Colorado gov vetoes ride-hail safety bill: Gov. Jared Polis vetoes a bill that would have imposed a variety of new restrictions on ride-hail companies like Uber and Lyft. The law, authored by a legislator who has accused a Lyft driver of sexual assault, would have mandated regular background checks for drivers and required ride-hail operators to let riders request that their ride be recorded by video and audio. Polis said the law threatened the viability of ride-hail companies in Colorado, jeopardizing a key transportation option for residents and potentially leading to increased drunk driving. Back in 2016 the city of Austin put in place similar background check requirements, prompting Uber and Lyft to leave the city until the city’s rules were preempted by the state legislature.
Lyft accused of cheating LA’s bike-share contract: The Los Angeles Metropolitan Transportation Authority delays a vote on a proposed 11-year $198 million contract with Lyft after it is revealed that a Metro subcontractor who helped draft the county’s request for proposal was also helping Lyft prepare its bid for the contract. The owner of the current bike-share vendor, Bicycle Transit Systems, accuses Lyft of “cheating the system.” Lyft responds that it has removed the contractor, Alta Planning + Design, from its bid but that the work the contractor performed for it did not meaningfully shape its bid.
SparkCharge raises $30M: SparkCharge, a startup providing mobile EV charging solutions, secures $30 million in new funding to expand its "charging-as-a-service" model, which enables fleet operators to electrify without upfront infrastructure investments.
What we’re reading
Is Uber reinventing the bus? Nilay Patel of the Verge sits down with Uber CEO Dara Khosrowshahi to discuss a wide range of transportation topics, including congestion pricing, public transit and the increasing number of teens forgoing drivers licenses.
The Newark airport fiasco is a sign of things to come: The Verge delves into the many chickens coming home to roost at Newark Liberty International Airport, notably underinvestment in technological upgrades and human capital. Unfortunately, this isn’t just a New Jersey problem –– it’s an America problem.
CoMotion's mobility goodness brought to you by:
Jack Craver,
Editor, CoMotion NEWS
jcraver@comotionglobal.com
Write to us if you would like to suggest content for our next newsletter!
Partner with us
Our events CoMotion LA, CoMotion MIAMI, and the Monaco Hydrogen Forum represent a unique opportunity to build global awareness in the industry. Build influence, elevate your brand, and connect with ground-breaking companies and public sector leaders.
“It's really exciting to be at this year's CoMotion, with the best, most creative, and innovative minds together thinking about solutions on how we advance transportation.” - Laura Rubio Cornejo, General Manager, LADOT
Email us if you are interested in learning more.
YouTube | LinkedIn | Podcast | X