🚗 Mobility Futures #3

HolonIQ's mobility futures coverage for the week ahead.

Our Climate Tech coverage has grown significantly and due to popular demand, we're splitting out our coverage into weekly Energy Futures, Enviro Futures, Infra Futures and Mobility Futures newsletters over the coming weeks.

This newsletter is 'Mobility Futures,' you can update your subscriptions to any of the other weekly newsletters here.

Happy Monday 👋

Mitsubishi Motors is set to join the Honda-Nissan Alliance to cut R&D costs and compete with Chinese EV manufacturers. Turkey is significantly investing in EV and battery production, attracting private capital and companies like BYD amidst contrasting reactions across the world to Chinese-manufactured EVs. Hyundai and Kia unveiled their air taxi service technology in Indonesia, highlighting the growing eVTOL sector. Russia has approved trials for autonomous trams in Moscow, marking a significant step towards advanced urban mobility. Meanwhile, a new wind-driven system using stationary cylinders promises to reduce cargo ship fuel costs by up to 90%, and a steam-powered engine developed in Hiroshima claims it could replace EVs. Additionally, Applied Intuition, an autonomous vehicle software startup, raised $300M in a new funding round.

🚘 Ground Mobility

🤝 Mitsubishi Motors Poised to Join Honda-Nissan Alliance. This alliance aims to reduce R&D costs and strengthen competitiveness against Chinese EV manufacturers. The partnership is expected to focus on software platforms, EV components, and plug-in hybrids, enabling the companies to accelerate innovation in the evolving automotive market.

🚗 Turkey Invests Billions in EV and Battery Production. Turkey plans to invest $5B in electric vehicle production and $4.5B in battery manufacturing, aiming for significant growth in the electric mobility sector. This move includes attracting private capital and enhancing Turkey's role in EV and battery markets, with notable investments from companies like BYD.

💰 Ola Electric's IPO Targets $740M Raise and $4B Valuation. Ola Electric, an Indian e-scooter company, is launching its IPO this week, seeking to raise $740M with major bids from investors like Fidelity, Nomura, and Norges Bank, aiming for a $4B valuation.🚗 Uber Partners with BYD to Electrify Fleet and Advance Autonomous Driving. Uber is partnering with Chinese automaker BYD to add 100,000 electric vehicles to its fleet and work on deploying self-driving cars.

⏳ Delay in Imposing 100% Tariff on Chinese EVs. The U.S. Trade Department needs more time to review public comments before deciding whether to implement a 100% tariff on Chinese electric vehicles, delaying the scheduled initial August 1st effective date.

🛬 Aviation

🛬 Hyundai and Kia Unveil Air Taxi Service in Indonesia. Hyundai Motor and Kia, major South Korean automakers, introduced their air taxi service technology through a demonstration at Samarinda Airport in Indonesia as part of the Shucle program.

🛫 KLM Targets Liquid Hydrogen Plane Launch in 2026. KLM, a Dutch airline, has partnered with ZeroAvia to develop a liquid hydrogen-powered aircraft with plans to launch it by 2026.

✈️ Scottish Airline Ecojet Orders Hydrogen-Electric Engines for Turboprop Fleet. Ecojet, a new Scottish airline, has ordered 22 hydrogen-electric engines from ZeroAvia to retrofit its turboprop aircraft fleet as it prepares to launch operations later this year.

🚋 Rail

🚆 Von der Leyen Renews Push for Pan-European Rail Ticket. Ursula Von der Leyen, the President of the European Commission, has revived her proposal for a single rail ticket that would allow travel across Europe during her bid for re-election to the European Parliament, despite a similar initiative failing to materialize during her previous term.

🚋 Russia Approves Autonomous Tram Trials in Moscow. Russian Prime Minister Mikhail Mishustin has signed a document to allow trials of the country's first self-driving tram service for passenger travel in Moscow. The initiative was prepared by the Ministry of Economic Development.🚆 MBTA Invests in Sustainable Rail Transportation. The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) approved a $54M plan to acquire battery-electric trains for the Boston Fairmount rail line.

🚢 Water Mobility

⚡ Red Funnel to Introduce Electric Ferry Service. Red Funnel, a UK ferry operator, has announced plans to launch a high-performance electric ferry between Southampton and West Cowes on the Isle of Wight towards the end of 2025.

⛵ Cylinder sails cut cargo ship fuel use by 90%. A new wind-driven system using stationary cylinders promises to reduce cargo ship fuel costs by up to 90%.

🛬 Propulsion

⚙️ Ammonia Used as Combustion Inhibitor in Hydrogen Engine. Researchers used ammonia as a combustion inhibitor to mitigate knock and expand power in a direct-injection hydrogen engine. The work was done by a team from Beijing University of Technology and Beijing Automobile Research Institute Company.

⚡ California Launches Massive Hydrogen Hub Initiative. California is launching a $12.6B 'Hydrogen Hub' initiative, the first of seven planned in the US, with support from the Alliance for Renewable Clean Hydrogen Energy Systems (ARCHES) and $1.2B funding from the US Department of Energy.

🚙 Revolutionary Steam-Powered Engine Developed in Hiroshima. A new steam engine that rotates on itself and runs on water has been developed in Hiroshima, claiming it could replace electric vehicles and change mobility.

💰 Deals of the Week

💰 Applied Intuition, an autonomous vehicle software startup, has raised $300M in a new funding round just four months after raising $250 million in a Series E round.

🚲 Rapido, an Indian bike-taxi startup that counts Swiggy among its investors, has raised $120M in fresh funding. It has achieved a valuation of $1B and become the latest unicorn startup in India.

🔋 Ather Energy, an Indian electric vehicle startup, has raised $7M in debt from Stride Ventures through its trustee, Vistra ITCL, as it prepares for an IPO

Thank you for reading. Have a great week ahead!
Have some feedback or suggestions? Let us know at hello@holoniq.com