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Welcome back toTechCrunch Mobility — your key hub for news and perceptivity on the future of transportation . Sign up here for complimentary — just clickTechCrunch Mobility !
Fifteen days ago , I come out write about a little EV inauguration that was trying to survive even as others fail in the clean tech gold rush - and - tear bike . Back thenTeslahad trance the interest of some celebrities and EV fancier — but it was a little round .
A batch has changed since then , including the profile of its large shareholder and CEO , Elon Musk . His company , which includeSpaceX , Tesla , X , xAI , Neuralink , andThe Boring Company , have reproduce . And he ’s using it to determine endowment to support theDepartment of Government Efficiency , an entity launch via President Trump ’s executive society .
I recently put my institutional noesis to work — covering Musk over all these years , you learn a few thing — and teamed up with several TechCrunch editors and reporters . Our labor was not just to identify the mass work at DOGE , but also to avail readersunderstand their connection to Musk ’s universe .
This is a living document — and one we will regularly update as we continue our reporting . Have a tip about DOGE , its doer , or other related subject ? attain out to me atkirsten.korosec@techcrunch.comor my Signal at kkorosec.07 .
A little bird
Got a pourboire for us ? Email Kirsten Korosec atkirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com , Sean O’Kane atsean.okane@techcrunch.com , or Rebecca Bellan atrebecca.bellan@techcrunch.com . Or check outthese instructionsto learn how to contact us via encrypted messaging apps or SecureDrop .
Deals!
This calendar week ’s deals were dimmed by a partnership that end before it ever really start , a closedown , a bankruptcy , and one dead IPO .
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First up , beleaguered hydrogen - electric truck makerNikolahas finallyfiled for bankruptcyafter go bad to conjure enough funds to continue operation or find a buyer . It ’s been a yearslong engagement for the company after it suffered a series of scandals surrounding its founder and former CEO Trevor Milton , who was convicted of securities and conducting wire pseud after making magnified call about the company ’s electrical truck technology . We all recollect thatinfamous merchandising video , right-hand ?
Meanwhile , match - to - peer car - sharing startups had a helter-skelter week .
Getaround , a San Francisco startup and VC favorite turn in public switch SPAC , shut down its U.S. operationsone year after cut down 30 % of its North American workforce as part of a restructuring . Getaround say it ’s now focused on its European business where it manoeuver in six countries , including Norway , Spain , France , Germany , Belgium , and Austria .
The crazy part of this closure was how the company manage it . The circuit board made the decision on February 7 but did n’t alarum owners and renter about the closure until February 12 . Oh , and their insurance policy reporting would expire by the ending of the day .
Then there wasTuro , which hascalled off its long - awaited initial offering . The companionship publicly filed in January 2022 for an initial public offering , but IPO conditions alter soon afterward . Still , it seemed like Turo might finally IPO in 2025 — until it did n’t .
Other deals that got my attention …
Auroralast week entered into an agreement tosell up to $ 500 millionin stock at an “ at - the - market place ” offer . Aurora say in its Q4 2024 earnings written report that it has enough cash to get through initial commercialization in April , but this understanding sets it up to advance Johnny Cash chop-chop in the time to come should it demand the monetary fund to surmount and get to cash - flow overconfident .
Fetii , a group drive - contribution app based in Austin , elevate a$7.35 million seeded player roundled by Mark Cuban , with participation from Y Combinator , Goodwater Capital , and others .
The$60 billion mega - mergerbetweenHondaandNissandied . And per Reuters ’ rootage , pride is part to blame .
One Equity Partners , a individual equity firm , isacquiringWheeler Fleet Solutions , an aftermarket section dispersion company . Terms were not disclosed .
Saronic , a military drone - sauceboat shaper , hasraised $ 600 millionin funding at a $ 4 billion rating . General Catalyst extend the round into the less than three - year - old fellowship .
Notable reads and other tidbits
Autonomous vehicles
Avride ’s sovereign sidewalk delivery robot are nowdelivering guild for Uber Eatscustomers in Jersey City .
Waymolooks like it might plunge amembership program . Some Los Angeles customers get a sketch invite that need them which type of rank they ’d be most likely to pick out . When asked , Waymo suppose it on a regular basis conducts enquiry and experiment to reckon out what features , promotion , and experiences rider might like but did n’t deal anything else .
assist Roboticshaslaunched its speech botsin Miami . The company also expand its subsist partnership with Shake Shack and added another with Mister O1 Extraordinary Pizza , so customers in Miami ordering from those restaurants on Uber Eats might have their food delivered by a bot .
Electric vehicles, charging, & batteries
Elon Musk ’s political activities — namely his involvement in the Department of Government Efficiency — have turned some consumers againstTesla . Senior newsperson Sean O’Kane tie in with two people whoorganized the Tesla Takeover movement , which led to dissent at Tesla salesroom in dozens of U.S. cities .
Blue Whale Materials , a lithium - ion stamp battery recycling company , haspartneredwithCall2Recycleto march on domesticated battery recycling and meet the need for domestically sourced battery materials .
Beta Technologieshas pilot slightly more under the radar than its contention in the electric air diligence , but the inauguration has been restfully growing the business and collect more piloted flight of steps hours than anyone else under the leadership of its tattooed , enigmatic laminitis and CEO , Kyle Clark , writes older newsman Rebecca Bellan .
TheTrump administrationfired hundredsof Federal Aviation Administration employee who maintain decisive air traffic control infrastructure . The firings come as Elon Musk ’s SpaceX has beentappedto help create a newfangled air dealings control system .
Micromobility
Limereportedits 2nd consecutive yr of being loose cash stream positive . The scooter and bike - share company also said its adjusted EBITDA exceed $ 140 million for 2024 , up from $ 94 million in 2023 . These event are unaudited , so take them with a grain of salt .
Ride-hailing and gig economy
Uberfiled alawsuit againstDoorDash , accusing the rescue outfit of asphyxiate challenger by intimidating restaurant owners into single deals .
This week’s wheels
We ’re back with another edition of This Week ’s bike , this time with the2025 Hyundai Ioniq 5 , which ranges in price between $ 43,975 and $ 59,575 , depending on the trim .
ContributorEmme Hallspent some time behind the rack of this refresh all - electric compact SUV and recover a lot to love . Butthere is one literal shortage , at least for the time being . This EV is equipped with Tesla ’s North American Charging Standard porthole , but Hall discovered that the charging port wine location did n’t match up with the Tesla Supercharger cord . It but did n’t reach .
That meant she would need to look for another Tesla to abandon its space and use that charge transmission line , fundamentally take in up two space , or practice the in - car navigation to find a CCS - equipped charging place and expend the adapter that come with the car .
Not great . But here is what was great — the 2025 model class comes in a fresh XRT clipping that includes a one - column inch lift and 29 - in Continental CrossContact ATR tire for better performance in the dirt and over gravel . And this 2025 model twelvemonth , which also received a few technical school upgrades , is still poised on the paving with well - poise handling and a prosperous drive .
What is “ This week ’s wheels ” ? It ’s a prospect to learn about the different transportation product we ’re testing , whether it ’s an electric or intercrossed car , an e - bike , or even a ride in an autonomous vehicle .
