🚋 Mobility Futures #18

Happy Monday 👋

At COP29, shipping stakeholders emphasized zero-emission fuels and policies to decarbonize logistics, aligning with IMO and EU regulations for low-carbon fuels by 2025. The Smart Freight Centre (SFC) is advancing sustainable finance and emissions reporting toward zero-emission logistics by 2050. Volkswagen and Rivian launched a $5.8B joint venture for next-gen EV software, while Waymo expanded autonomous driving services in Los Angeles, with the AV market projected to hit $1T by 2028, driven by OEM demand and AI. Increasing GPS jamming risks aviation safety, while Algeria invests $2.8B in railway upgrades, including 400 new train coaches. In the UK, Woods' Tours introduced the first electric boat on the River Thames, and Fresh Life Style, a Chinese cold-chain logistics unicorn, raised $126M in Series B funding.

What's new?

HolonIQ’s new Green Skills Map and Workforce section reveal industry-wide sustainability skills and jobs, as well as workforce development initiatives, supporting upskilling for a sustainable economy.

HolonIQ's new skills newsletter is here! Get updates on emerging skills, workforce shifts, and industry insights across impact sectors. Subscribe now to stay ahead.

🚘 Ground Mobility

🤝 VW and Rivian Officially Launched $5.8B Joint Venture. Volkswagen and Rivian officially started their joint venture to develop new electrical architecture and software for future models. The joint venture is valued at $5.8B.

🚗 Waymo Expands Autonomous Driving Services in Los Angeles. Waymo, an autonomous driving company owned by Alphabet, lifted its waiting list for services in Los Angeles, marking the largest service expansion ever. Also, the autonomous vehicles market is to reach nearly $1 Trillion by 2028, driven by OEM demand and AI. Technavio reports the global autonomous vehicle market will grow by $974.5B from 2024 to 2028, fueled by automaker demand and AI advancements.

🚫 Audi to Close Brussels Factory Amid Cost Cuts. Audi ended its search for a buyer for its Brussels factory, which employs 3,000 people and builds the Audi Q8 E-Tron electric SUV. The factory is now likely to close as part of cost-cutting measures across the Volkswagen Group.

🛬 Aviation

⚠️ GPS Spoofing Threatens Global Aviation Safety. Increasing GPS spoofing and jamming are putting global aviation and telecom networks at risk, with threats expanding from conflict zones to civilian areas. Vulnerable low-Earth orbit satellites heighten concerns as the industry struggles to prepare for ongoing interference.

🛩️ EHang's Pilotless eVTOL Completes Debut Passenger Flights in Thailand. EHang's EH216-S pilotless eVTOL vehicle completed its debut passenger flights in Thailand, with further flight tests and commercial operations planned. EHang and Inx have achieved a breakthrough in solid-state battery technology, with EHang's EH216-S eVTOL aircraft completing the world's first flight test using a solid-state battery.

✈️ VoltAero Finalizes Assembly Facility for Cassio Electric-Hybrid Aircraft. VoltAero is prepared to assemble the aircraft of its Cassio family that will operate on an electric-hybrid propulsion system. The Cassio aircraft, which include the 330, 480, and 600 models, use electric propulsion for short flights and a combustion engine for longer distances.

🚋 Rail

🚆 Algeria to Invest $2.8B in New Trains. Algeria plans to spend $2.8B on new trains as part of its railway development plan up to 2035. The first stage involves purchasing 400 train coaches for $1.03B to support the expanding network.

🚅  UK's First Intercity Battery Train Sets New Green Travel Standard. The UK's first intercity battery train outperformed diesel engines, marking a significant step towards eco-friendly travel by demonstrating significant fuel savings and emissions reduction. 

🚆 EU Boosts Rail Baltica Project with $1.54B Funding. The European Union's Connecting Europe Facility (CEF) signed two agreements worth $1.54B to accelerate the completion of the Rail Baltica project.

🚢 Marine

🌍 At COP29, shipping industry leaders highlighted the urgent need for zero-emission fuels to meet climate goals. The IMO and EU are introducing regulations, including the EU Emissions Trading System's 2024 extension to shipping, aiming to phase in low-carbon fuels and enforce emissions transparency by 2025.

🛥️ UK's First Electric Tour Boat Coming to the Thames. Woods' Tours is introducing the UK's first electric tour boat to operate on the River Thames in London. It features lightweight aluminum construction, awning-shaded decks, and a shore-charged battery system powered by renewable energy. 

⛴️ Shipyards Advance Designs for CO2 Shipping. A purple-hulled vessel with a rotor sail was conducting sea trials in the Yellow Sea. It is the first of four liquefied carbon dioxide carriers ordered by Northern Lights, a joint venture between Shell, Total, and Equinor, from Dalian Shipbuilding Industry Co.

🛠️ Skills and Workforce

HolonIQ is now tracking reskilling and upskilling initiatives critical in bridging workforce gaps. Impact industries are rapidly evolving, fueled by technological advancements, decarbonization, geopolitical dynamics, and socio-economic factors. To that extent, these sectors require considerable workforce/professional development initiatives to enhance workers' capabilities, boost economic growth, and promote social well-being. Read on for this week’s insights, and discover more in HolonIQ's latest Skills newsletter.

👷 IEA Report: 16 Million New Clean Energy Jobs Boost Transition in 2024. The IEA's 2024 report reveals clean energy jobs surged by 16 million since 2019, reaching 75 million globally. Solar and wind sectors lead growth, notably in Asia and the US, underscoring clean energy’s resilience amid complex geopolitical and supply chain challenges. The report identifies over half of the new roles in emerging economies, reinforcing their critical role in achieving the global energy transition.  

🏢 Jobs for the Future Awards $5M for US Workforce Equity Projects. Jobs for the Future (JFF) has awarded nearly $5 million to US-based organizations focused on improving workforce equity. This funding supports initiatives creating inclusive career pathways in fields like information technology, especially for marginalized communities. With grants dispersed across multiple states, JFF aims to reduce educational and employment disparities, fostering economic mobility.

🪫 Adani Group Pledges $10 Billion for US Energy Infrastructure Projects. India’s Adani Group has committed $10 billion to advance US energy security and infrastructure, with plans to create up to 15,000 jobs. This investment encompasses a range of projects aimed at bolstering energy resilience and enhancing infrastructure, showcasing Adani’s strategic confidence in the American market. The initiative aligns with broader US priorities to drive economic growth through strengthened energy systems and essential infrastructure development across key regions.

HolonIQ has launched the Green Skills Map, an open-source framework initiated for the purpose of cataloging, evaluating, and contextualizing the different components of the rapidly expanding field of green jobs. This comprehensive taxonomy will serve as a resource for understanding the full spectrum and complexity of green skills required across various sectors, thereby enabling a cohesive approach toward achieving net zero and decarbonizing the global economy. Green Skills Map spans 11 areas, 54 sub-areas, and 243 green skills clusters. A snippet of the map covering four areas has been included above. Explore the full map on greenskills.org.

💰 Deals of the Week

⚡ $5.8B EV Partnership Between Rivian and Volkswagen. Rivian and Volkswagen formed a $5.8B partnership to accelerate electric vehicle innovation and make sustainable electric mobility more accessible.

🚌 Fresh Life Style closed its Series B funding round. Fresh Life Style, a Chinese cold-chain logistics unicorn, raised hundreds of millions of yuan in a Series B extension round from several domestic investors, closing its Series B funding at $126M.

🚉 Nurminen Logistics Acquires Swedish Railway Logistics Firm. Finnish logistics company Nurminen Logistics acquired the Swedish railway logistics company Essinge Rail AB.

🚚 PS Logistics Acquires Fluker Transportation. Through its subsidiary Blair Logistics, PS Logistics acquired Fluker Transportation, a trucking company specializing in flatbed and heavy-haul shipping.

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