Flexport taps Shopify for cash, behind the wheel of the Kia EV9 and where Amazon wants to invest

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Welcome to TechCrunch Mobility – the an identical weekly e-newsletter you’ve been learning, nevertheless with a model new determine and a few changes.

Don’t worry, that’s nonetheless your central hub for info and insights on the best way ahead for transportation. This week, look at Amazon, EV startup Fisker, electrical boats, a bunch of newest funding provides and my time driving the all-new Kia EV9.

Let’s go!

Considerably hen

Considerably hen pointed us to a model new website online with some electrical vans that sure do look acquainted.

Keep in mind Lordstown Motors, the EV startup that went public by a SPAC and has since filed for chapter security? Steve Burns, who based mostly and was then ousted from Lordstown Motors, is once more with a model new EV startup often called LandX Motors.

The new LandX Motors website prominently exhibits the an identical electrical Endurance pickup truck he as quickly as promised would beat Tesla, Ford and Frequent Motors to market.

A person accustomed to the company’s plans instructed TechCrunch that it’s not rather a lot regarding the Endurance truck, nevertheless the underlying platform, software program program and engineering behind it. Nonetheless, with the earlier Lordstown vans participating in a starring place on agency’s website online and video, it’s unclear merely how developed this plan is.

Want to attain out with a tip, comment or criticism? Electronic message Kirsten at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com or sean.okane@techcrunch.com. Once you need to keep anonymous, click here to contact us, which includes SecureDrop (instructions here) and assorted encrypted messaging apps.

Deal of the week

Present chain logistics startup Flexport had a reasonably tumultuous 2023 that included founder Ryan Petersen ousting his hand-picked successor and taking once more the CEO spot after which acquiring the assets of shuttered digital freight group Convoy.

The startup is kicking off 2024 by shoring up its enterprise with a $260 million “uncapped convertible phrase” from Shopify, a deal that was launched by Petersen in a set of posts on social media web site X.

As a reminder, Shopify and Flexport are already attached. Flexport acquired in 2023 Shopify’s logistics arm. The deal gave Shopify 13% equity stake in Flexport and a seat on the board.

Totally different provides that purchased my consideration …

Electra, the Paris-based EV charging startup, raised $330 million in a Sequence B spherical led by Dutch pension fund service provider PGGM and Bpifrance’s Large Enterprise fund. Eurazeo, RIVE Personal Funding, the SNCF group by 574 Make investments and Serena moreover participated.

Franziska Bossart, the model new head of the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, spoke to me about how the $1 billion fund is evolving. Tl;dr: She’s rising its geographic focus to Asia and Europe, and homing in on three areas, along with AI.

Worldwide Battery Agency, a startup creating lithium-ion battery cells for EVs, raised $35 million in a pre-Sequence A spherical led by RTP Worldwide.

Land Moto, the Cleveland-based electrical motorcycle startup, raised $3 million in a spherical led by a specific aim enterprise vehicle often called Nunc Coepi Ventures.

Lightship, an all-electric RV startup, raised $34 million in a Sequence B spherical co-led by Obvious Ventures and Prelude Ventures. Totally different new merchants embrace Allegis Capital and world RV producer THOR Industries and its funding companion TechNexus Enterprise Collaborative.

Northvolt, the Swedish battery startup, secured a $5 billion debt deal to help pay for the enlargement of its first gigafactory. As TC+ reporter Tim de Chant writes: “Northvolt’s $5 billion mortgage obtained’t be adequate to make sure success, nevertheless it absolutely should be adequate to help ramp up its manufacturing to a targeted 60 gigawatt hours.”

Uber shut down alcohol provide service Drizly three years after the cab-hailing agency acquired it for $1.1 billion.

Notable reads and totally different tidbits

Autonomous autos

TuSimple will delist itself from the Nasdaq stock exchange as a result of it strikes forward with its plan to utterly exit the U.S. market.

Electrical autos, charging & batteries

BMW’s future progress depends upon EVs, and it’s finally going all in, TC+ reporter Tim de Chants writes.

Fisker’s electrical Ocean SUV is under investigation by federal regulators over braking loss complaints.

GM recalled 66 electric delivery vans made by its BrightDrop subsidiary after the doorway drive objects in on the very least two of them caught fireside late remaining 12 months. The set off appears to be related to a producing defect.

Navier, {the electrical} boat startup, has launched a pilot program for its hydrofoiling watercraft by a partnership with Stripe to ship passengers from San Francisco’s outskirts to the downtown area.

Approach ahead for flight

Wing, the drone-powered provide agency operated by Alphabet, intends to introduce a larger craft capable of delivering heavier packages to prospects.

This week’s wheels

Image Credit score: Kirsten Korosec

I headed to Napa Valley to take a look at the Kia EV9 – an all-electric SUV with three rows that many take into account will ship a complete new batch of EV prospects into the market.

Sooner than I give some abbreviated concepts on what I did and didn’t like, listed below are just some specs. The Kia EV9 is offered in 5 trims with essentially the most value efficient — the rear-wheel drive EV9 Light — starting at $54,900. I examined the GT-Line trim, an all-wheel drive top-of-the-line mannequin that has a wide range of 270 miles and begins at $73,900 (For comparability, the Rivian R1S, which is AWD, comes with commonplace with  260 miles of differ and begins at $78,000. The Kia EV9 Light RWD trim equipped with the bigger battery has the perfect differ of 304 miles.

What did I like? It remained successfully planted on winding roads, even once I pushed the car a bit. It’s moreover quiet, has the type of inside particulars one could anticipate in a premium-priced SUV, the seats are comfortable and the superior driver assist system is easy to work together. The third row isn’t exactly spacious, nevertheless undoubtedly increased than many three-row SUVs I’ve been in.

There have been just some misses. I do assume that Kia missed a chance by not giving the EV9 rear-wheel axle steering and I’m not sure if the battery differ, which is between 230 miles and 304 miles counting on the trim, is adequate for customers. Lastly, the format of the within cabin is almost there, nevertheless I’m nonetheless not sure I like the situation of the start button and equipment shifter (it’s a stock tucked behind the steering wheel).