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Welcome again to The Station, your central hub for all previous, current and future technique of transferring folks and packages from Level A to Level B.
Pleased Labor Day weekend to all my US and Canada-based readers! In the event you’re utilizing the three-day weekend to take a highway journey, journey secure.
For these in California, you might be requested to curb your power use this vacation weekend. Significantly, for those who personal an EV. California’s energy grid supervisor is looking on EV house owners to avoid charging at peak times (4 p.m. to 9 p.m.) as a part of broader effort to maintain the state’s grid up and operating throughout this warmth wave.
The “alert” bought me fascinated by California’s latest resolution to ban new gas cars by 2035 and what a flood of EVs may do to an already decrepit energy grid.
Talking of EVs, perhaps you’re trying to purchase one? I wrote up a guide to the new EV tax credit that you could be discover useful. It’s extra sophisticated today. This information tackles new EVs; look out for one more article on used EVs and the tax credit score.
And eventually, if you wish to take a look at TechCrunch Disrupt (and I recommend you do), here’s a little present for my readers. Go to this link and sort within the code STATION to get 15% off passes, excluding on-line and expo tickets.
Let’s go.
You possibly can at all times e-mail me at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com to share ideas, criticisms, opinions, or ideas. You can also ship a direct message to @kirstenkorosec
Micromobbin’
Rebecca Bellan is on a well-earned trip and so this week’s micromobbin’ can be temporary.
First up is a TC+ article by Bellan that explores why the biggest market for micromobility will find yourself being within the business house, not centered on customers.
In different scootin’ and bikin’ information …
Lime, Spin and Veo are in Milwaukee as a part of a brand new shared scooter pilot that launched this week.
The Atlantic’s “The E-bike is a Monstrosity” column sparked outrage and criticism on social media and even impressed some to write down counterarguments like this one in Outdoors entitled “The E-bike is Pure Joy.”
Vermont turned the primary state to offer an ebike rebate.
Byeeeeee.
Deal of the week
The deal-making this summer time has slowed to a drip. The distinction from final summer time — when the deal move was extra like a fireplace hose — is hanging.
Whereas the tempo of offers has slowed, the need for capital has not. It’s significantly palpable within the EV and mobility SPAC world the place firms as soon as awash with capital in a high-flying market are attempting to get that spigot turned again on.
Lucid and Nikola are amongst a couple of EV SPACs which are seeking cash infusions by way of inventory choices to deliver their delayed autos to market.
The CEO of self-driving tech agency Aurora has floated various choices to the board to increase the corporate’s runway past mid-2024. And final month, Faraday Future (which I’m shocked is even nonetheless right here) stated it will require additional funds by early September 2022 in an effort to proceed operations. For these holding monitor, that’s now.
The upshot? I anticipate extra of this exercise by way of the top of the yr. It’s going to get determined for some.
Different offers that bought my consideration this week … (subscribe for all the deals)
Ascend Parts, a U.S.-based lithium-ion battery recycling and engineered supplies firm, acquired a $50 million funding from SK ecoplant, the environmental unit of Korean conglomerate SK Inc.
Populus, the transportation information startup, raised $11 million in a Collection A spherical to scale its current product in addition to its curb administration software program. The spherical was co-led by Zero Infinity Companions and Climactic with participation from Comcast Ventures and Robert Downey Jr.’s FootPrint Coalition Ventures.
SparkCharge, the cell EV charging community supplier, raised a further $7 million from Cleveland Avenue that’s an add-on to its previously announced Collection A spherical. The entire elevate is now $30 million.
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