Happy Easter – we hope you find this week’s news to be egg-cellent! We start with some big news out of Florida, as CoMotion LAB MIAMI announces its 2021 Task Forces. The new mobility innovation lab – a joint initiative of Miami-Dade County’s Department of Transportation and Public Works and CoMotion – will first focus on Smart Curb Management/Smart Infrastructure and Urban Air Mobility (UAM.) The members of both Task Forces span the public and private sectors, and include leaders from Miami-Dade County, City of Miami, HNTB, Via, Lacuna Technologies, Miami Parking Authority, Skyports, ANRA Technologies, Ellis and Associates, and more. This tops off a huge week for Miami, which also saw the launch of AV smart sensors and delivery robots — as well as the kick-off of registration for CoMotion MIAMI LIVE!
Elsewhere, the big news of course is Joe Biden’s $2 trillion infrastructure package. The third of that princely sum aimed at transportation would transform the way that Americans get around, through massive investments in electric vehicles, public transit, inter-city rail and new transit-oriented affordable housing. Major investments in clean energy and upgrades to electrical grids will also support the transition to EVs and help the U.S. to make meaningful progress in reducing carbon emissions. Of course, this is just what Biden wants. There is certainly strong support among Democrats in Congress to go big on infrastructure, but it’s not clear yet whether the swing votes in the Senate will demand something a little…cheaper. Across the globe, the past week also saw Australia push for new pro-EV legislation, Volkswagen pretend to rename itself, faster subways in China, and much more – all below.
Biden wants it all: President Biden unveils a $2 trillion infrastructure package that has something for everyone but puts particular emphasis on the green economy. ‘Only’ $621 billion is specifically aimed at transportation, although much of the spending in other categories goes hand-in-hand with mobility. Breaking down the spending, here’s what is most notable from our perspective:
– $174 billion for EVs: This eye-popping figure comprises consumer incentives, research… and a plan to build half-a-million charging stations by 2030.
– $115 billion for roads and bridges: The plan calls for renovating 20,000 miles of highways and roads and repairing 10,000 bridges. Much of this will be unsexy but nevertheless necessary upgrades to America’s aging highway system.
– $85 billion for public transit: While the $30 billion for transit included in the American Rescue Act was aimed at keeping pandemic-battered transit agencies afloat, this figure would represent a long-overdue effort to take America’s subpar public transit systems to the next level, making transit more accessible and attractive for millions now dependent on cars. With this money, Biden is making a huge bet that transit will not just recover from the pandemic, but grow stronger than ever.
– $80 billion for Amtrak and freight rail: Whoa! They called Biden ‘Senator Amtrak’ for a reason! The bill includes a 400% increase in passenger rail funding that would allow Amtrak to dramatically expand its network with as many as 30 new routes that serve 160 new communities.
– $213 billion for affordable housing: This massive infusion of money to support low and lower-middle income housing could have big implications for cities and transportation. Working with local governments, the funding will hopefully be aimed at helping low-income people live in high-opportunity areas that do not require lengthy, expensive and polluting car commutes…
– $20 billion for underserved communities: This effort includes many potential uses to “reconnect” minority communities to economic opportunity, including by helping to undo some of the destruction caused by past highway projects, which tend to be placed in the backyards of those with the least political power.
– $100 billion for electric grid and clean energy: The recent power failures in Texas and the frequent outages in Northern California highlight the importance of upgrading the grid before EVs start to put even more demand on it. And boosting renewables is key to ensuring that the transition to EVs leads to a big decrease in carbon emissions.
– What about bikes, you say? Conspicuously absent from a measure aimed at combatting climate change are any substantial investments in pedestrian and bike infrastructure. Bikes in general and e-bikes in particular got a big boost from the pandemic, but biking remains unattractive in much of the country due to autocentric planning. The evidence from around the world is clear: when you build dedicated bike infrastructure, people start biking! Imagine what $30 billion to support electric bikes and bike paths could do!
Meet the C-LAB MIAMI Task Forces: CoMotion LAB MIAMI – an advanced and connected mobility innovation lab in Miami-Dade County for developing and validating new and commercially-viable transport technologies – announces its first Task Forces: Smart Curb Management + Smart Infrastructure and Urban Air Mobility (UAM), and their inaugural board members.
“As we work to expand mobility and transportation options in Miami-Dade to better connect our growing community, the work of CoMotion Lab ensures that innovation and collaboration are at the forefront of this conversation,” says Miami-Dade County Mayor Daniella Levine Cava. “The appointment of these mobility all-stars will bring global thought leaders to develop and test new mobility solutions in Miami-Dade and beyond.”
Pentagon wants to get greener: It’s not just Biden looking to clean up America’s act. The U.S. military, whose leaders have long warned that climate change is a major threat to national security, is exploring ways to shift to greener forms of transportation. Among other efforts aimed at reducing emissions, the Defense Department is considering mandating that all military vehicles be electric by 2030.
EV advocates push for change Down Under: An opposition senator in the Australian parliament accuses Prime Minister Scott Morrison of “an absolute failure” to advance electric vehicles. Two years after promising to act on the recommendations of a parliamentary task force on EVs, Morrison has yet to develop a national EV strategy, says independent Senator Rex Patrick. Indeed, Australia still lacks a national fuel efficiency standard. Meanwhile, the opposition Labour Party is seizing on the issue by proposing that EVs be exempt from import tariffs and “fringe benefit taxes” levied on company-provided cars.
A TnT partnership: Toyota and Tesla are reportedly in talks about developing an EV platform together. The collaboration, which has reportedly been discussed by company leaders since last year, aims to merge the Japanese auto giant’s engineering prowess with Tesla’s software capabilities.
A step towards tolls in Manhattan: The Federal Highway Administration authorizes NYC’s MTA to conduct an expedited environmental review of long-discussed congestion pricing plan for drivers in midtown and downtown Manhattan. The plan was approved by the state legislature in 2019 but has been stalled as it awaits action from the FHA, which slow-walked the plan during the previous administration. By tolling drivers entering Manhattan below 60th Street, the plan seeks to both reduce congestion and raise money for much-needed subway improvements.
Illinois dealers sue Rivian & Lucid: A trade association representing car dealerships in Illinois are taking Rivian and Lucid to court, accusing the EV manufacturers of breaking state law with their direct-to-consumer sales model. State law includes requirements that auto manufacturers distribute through franchised dealers, although the state attorney general has opined that new manufacturers may be exempt from the requirement. Tesla dealt with the same issue in Illinois and resolved it in a 2012 settlement in which the company agreed to a maximum of 13 dealer licenses in the state. While Rivian is staying mum, Lucid decried the lawsuit as a “heavy-handed tactic” to “stifle consumer choice.”
Freed from the canal but stuck in court: The six days the Ever Given spent beached in the Suez Canal, holding up tens of billions of dollars of global commerce, may be dwarfed by the time the ship spends in Egypt as its owners, operators and other parties to the disaster spend litigating the fiasco in various jurisdictions around the world. Luster Maritime and Higaki Sangyo Kaisha, the two Japanese companies that own the Ever Given, have already filed suit in the U.K. against Evergreen Marine Corp., the Taiwanese company that operates the ship. Also potentially liable is the German shipping management company responsible for hiring the crew, which was comprised entirely of Indian nationals. And because the ship is actually “flagged” in Panama, that country’s maritime authority is also getting involved. Meanwhile, the Egyptian government says it may not let the ship –– or its crew –– leave until it’s paid for the effort it undertook to free it. It reckons $1 billion is a fair price.
The story only gets dumber: Volkswagen now says a press release announcing plans to change its name to Voltswagen was just a big joke that the world didn’t get. A spokesman says the press release, dated for the end of April and taken down from the company’s website almost immediately after being “accidentally” posted, was aimed at promoting VW’s newest EV, the ID.4, and its broader shift to EVs. There’s that famed German sense of humor!
Boston throws highways under the bus: The Boston Regional Metropolitan Planning Organization votes to direct $14.8 million in federal highway funds to dramatically expand a bus rapid transit project. The funding will allow the Massachusetts Bay Transit Authority to double the length of center-running bus lanes that are already under construction on the city’s most popular bus route. While the numbers may be small, it’s unusual for an MPO to redirect highway funds to public transit, so let’s hope it becomes a trend.
Rivian aims to wow with warranty: As it prepares to launch its first two passenger vehicles — the R1S SUV and the R1T pickup truck — EV startup Rivian says customers will get a warranty that will cover the battery pack and or electric drive train parts for the first 175,000 miles or eight years of ownership. That puts it well above the EV industry standard of 100,000 miles. For other fixes, the warranty only goes to 60,000 miles or five years.
Another week, another new Chinese subway! A metro extension in Guangzhou hit a major construction milestone, and is on-track for a year end opening. But with new subway systems seemingly a dime a dozen in the Middle Kingdom, this one has a special claim to fame: the new lines will operate at up to 160 km/h (100 mph), making them the fastest in the country, if not the world.
Delivery robots come to Miami: REEF Technologies, the mobility / logistics hub and neighborhood kitchen startup, is now dispatching self-driving robots to deliver meals to people within three-quarters of a mile radius of downtown Miami, where the company is based. The robots are manufactured by Cartken, the Oakland-based startup founded by former Google engineers.
Volvo gets into trucks: The AV arm of Volvo Trucks is teaming up with Aurora Technologies to produce autonomous long-haul trucks. The plan is to get Aurora’s software into Volvo’s existing Class 8 highway trucks. The two companies collaborated on a similar plan in 2018 but they abandoned it after deciding the technology wasn’t quite there. A lot has happened in the past three years though — there’s a good chance this effort will prove more successful.
Eyes in the sunny skies: Miami’s prowess in autonomous vehicles continues to accelerate: Ford (which has a big local presence), along with partners Argo.ai and Quantum Systems, is installing smart sensors at key urban intersections across the region, providing connected autonomous vehicles with more complete data on the surrounding conditions.
E-bike for kids: Personal electric vehicle enthusiast Micah Toll reviews the Kent Torpedo, the first ever e-bike designed specifically for kiddos. At just under $500, Toll reckons the Torpedo offers just enough extra oomph to lure kids away from their tablets without putting them in danger.
Honda tops the moped market: New data from our friends at INVERS track what brands and types of mopeds people are buying around the world. INVERS finds that eight brands comprise 80% of the market: Honda leads the pack, accounting for 18% of global market share, followed by China-based NIU at 12.9% and Spain-based Silence at 12.4%.
A guide to scooter laws: Unagi, the San Francisco-based scooter company, has updated its guide to e-scooter laws to reflect the rapidly-changing legal landscape for micromobility across the U.S. In addition to a list of rules and regs by state, the guide offers frank analysis of enforcement, which in many jurisdictions remains minimal.
E-bike for kids: Personal electric vehicle enthusiast Micah Toll reviews the Kent Torpedo, the first ever e-bike designed specifically for kiddos. At just under $500, Toll reckons the Torpedo offers just enough extra oomph to lure kids away from their tablets without putting them in danger.
Honda tops the moped market: New data from our friends at INVERS track what brands and types of mopeds people are buying around the world. INVERS finds that eight brands comprise 80% of the market: Honda leads the pack, accounting for 18% of global market share, followed by China-based NIU at 12.9% and Spain-based Silence at 12.4%.
A guide to scooter laws: Unagi, the San Francisco-based scooter company, has updated its guide to e-scooter laws to reflect the rapidly-changing legal landscape for micromobility across the U.S. In addition to a list of rules and regs by state, the guide offers frank analysis of enforcement, which in many jurisdictions remains minimal.
Movements at the Lab: Our friends at Urban Movement Labs (UML) have a new Executive Director. Sam Morrissey joins the LA-based organization, bringing with him 20+ years of experience, including his most recent stint as a Vice President at engineering giant WSP. Welcome, Sam!
Convert to INVERS: Fancy yourself a shared mobility fiend? INVERS, the German software company that powers much of the world’s shared mobility fleets, has a number of openings, available to both English and German speakers.
Surf to REEF: Florida-based REEF Technologies has a whopping 1,067 open roles. While some are at their sunny Miami HQ, the company’s broad ambitions also means it has openings all across the world.
Have a job listing that’s perfect for the CoMotion community? Please send it to jbliss@comotionglobal.com.
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