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The yr in transportation began with a few bankruptcies — Canoo and Nikola — and now it’s ending with two extra. Rad Energy Bikes is coming to an finish — or no less than a chapter. The electrical bike firm filed for Chapter 11 chapter safety, weeks after it warned workers that it might shut down with out new funding. A spokesperson informed TechCrunch the corporate will proceed to function whereas the chapter case proceeds, and it’s seeking to promote the enterprise inside 45-60 days.
After which there’s troubled lidar maker Luminar, which additionally filed for chapter this week. The Luminar chapter doesn’t seem to be a let’s-help-it-live-another-day kind of state of affairs.
The Luminar submitting, which occurred after months of layoffs, government departures, and a authorized struggle with its largest buyer, Volvo, notes the corporate plans to dump the enterprise. It has already reached a deal to promote its semiconductor subsidiary. Whereas the corporate will proceed to function through the chapter course of to “decrease disruptions” for its suppliers and clients, Luminar will finally stop to exist as soon as it’s accomplished, senior reporter Sean O’Kane reported. Wish to be taught extra? I like to recommend studying O’Kane’s piece that appears at how Luminar’s doomed Volvo deal helped drag the corporate into chapter 11.
Although the yr was bookended by some failures, that doesn’t imply 2025 wasn’t full of innovation and development. The rising robotaxi business has certainly emerged. With that I’ve seen new sorts of autonomous vehicle-adjacent corporations popping up, and I anticipate that to turn out to be a pattern in 2026.
The size of robotaxis was largely pushed by Waymo’s fast-paced development, though Zoox and Tesla have additionally began to arrange store. This subsequent yr may very well be after we see these corporations actually squaring off in the identical markets; it should even be the yr when corporations will face even larger scrutiny over security and the way robotaxis match into day by day life.
In the meantime, EVs have had their struggles this yr and automakers have struggled to regulate.
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As an illustration, Ford is pivoting but once more. The corporate mentioned this week it’s ending manufacturing of the fully-electric F-150 Lightning as a part of a broader companywide shake-up that can put extra emphasis on hybrids and gas-powered autos. As a part of its shift, Ford is popping to the more and more fashionable “prolonged vary electrical car” model of the truck, which provides a fuel generator that may recharge the battery pack to energy the motors for over 700 miles. It’s additionally stepping into the power storage enterprise — gotta do one thing with all these batteries — and says it’s nonetheless dedicated to producing a midsized electrical truck that can go on sale in 2027.
However hey, the EV isn’t useless. And the promise of smaller, extra inexpensive ones are looming within the close to distance with the approaching launch of Rivian’s R2 and Slate Auto’s electrical truck.
Housekeeping word: That is the final e-newsletter of the yr. The following time you hear from me, I will likely be in Las Vegas for the annual tech commerce present often called CES. Going? Attain out.
To everybody, thanks for studying, collaborating within the polls, and sending me emails (sure, even the essential ones). Your voice issues and I like listening to from you. See you in 2026!
Somewhat fowl
Reporter Jagmeet Singh, who is predicated in India, all the time appears to have birds chirping in his ear about startup offers. The most recent is Spinny, the Indian on-line market for used vehicles.
Spinny is elevating round $160 million, funds that will likely be used to accumulate automotive providers startup GoMechanic. TechCrunch discovered the Sequence G spherical consists of a mixture of main and secondary transactions and can worth the 10-year-old startup at about $1.8 billion post-money.
Acquired a tip for us? E mail Kirsten Korosec at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com or my Sign at kkorosec.07, or e mail Sean O’Kane at sean.okane@techcrunch.com.
Offers!
Boatsetter and GetMyBoat, two corporations that function Airbnb-type enterprise fashions for boats, agreed to merge.
Cowboy is again — kind of. The Brussels e-bike startup has been acquired by ReBirth Group Holding, an organization that owns Gitane, Peugeot, and Solex. The e-bike startup had its buzzy moments however in the end bumped into issues, together with a body recall. The phrases weren’t disclosed, however apparently it consists of €15 million ($17.6 million) from current shareholders.
Nirvana Insurance coverage, an insurance coverage tech startup targeted on trucking, raised $100 million in a Sequence D funding spherical led by Valor Fairness Companions. Lightspeed and Normal Catalyst additionally joined. Former TC reporter Mary Ann Azevedo had the inside track on the brand new valuation, which is now $1.5 billion.
Notable reads and different tidbits
Redwood launched a newly patented Battery Assortment Bin designed to encourage shoppers to recycle batteries. The system, which can launch in San Francisco, safely shops, packages, and displays lots of of batteries and battery-containing units.
Rivian has added its branded “Common Arms-Free” driving by way of a software program replace to its second-generation R1 EVs (undecided I’m a fan of that time period “common hands-free,” btw). This improve will permit drivers to take their palms off the wheel on 3.5 million miles of roads within the U.S. and Canada (as long as there are seen painted strains). Additionally in case you missed it over the weekend, senior reporter Sean O’Kane took us inside Rivian’s wager on AI-powered self-driving.
Securing America’s Future Vitality has a brand new CEO. Avery Ash, SAFE’s Senior Vice President of Authorities Affairs and Particular Initiatives, will turn out to be the group’s subsequent CEO.
Slate Auto, the electrical truck startup backed by Jeff Bezos, mentioned it has collected greater than 150,000 refundable reservations for its low-cost EV due out on the finish of 2026.
Sterling Anderson has been on the job at GM for six months and there’s already chatter about him taking on as CEO as soon as Mary Barra retires. My take: Anderson has massive duties forward, so let’s all take a beat earlier than assuming he’ll get that prime submit. GM president Mark Reuss can also be within the wings.
Tesla has pulled its human security displays out of its robotaxis in Austin. The robotaxi service is proscribed with a fleet measurement numbering within the dozens. Nonetheless, it’s a milestone. And for these questioning, the California Division of Motor Automobiles informed me this week that Tesla has not utilized for a driverless testing allow. The corporate solely holds a allow to check autonomous car know-how with a human security operator situated behind the wheel.
In the meantime, Tesla is dealing with a difficult state of affairs in California. Right here’s the gist: An administrative legislation choose agreed with the case initiated by California’s Division of Motor Automobiles and dominated Tesla engaged in misleading advertising that gave clients a misunderstanding of the capabilities of its Autopilot and Full Self-Driving driver-assistance software program. The DMV wished to droop Tesla’s gross sales and manufacturing licenses within the state for 30 days as a penalty for its motion, and a choose has agreed.
Ah, however wait. The DMV stayed the order and is giving Tesla 60 days to conform. That provides Tesla two choices if it desires to maintain these licenses: drop the Autopilot identify or ship software program to its vehicles that make them autonomous.
Yet another factor …
A few of you may not know that I’m additionally co-host of Fairness, a TechCrunch’s podcast in regards to the enterprise of startups. I typically co-host our Friday present, which provides commentary and evaluation on the information of the week.
Now and again I interview a founder or VC for the Wednesday present. My newest is an interview with Jiten Behl, associate at Eclipse Ventures and former chief development officer at Rivian, who thinks we’re getting into an period of main reindustrialization within the U.S. — one the place factories run on AI-powered robots, not low-cost abroad labor. Take a look at the episode right here.
