Flexport gets behind the wheel of Kia EV9, uses Shopify to get cash where Amazon wants to invest

Image credits: Kirsten Kolosek

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Welcome to TechCrunch Mobility – the same weekly newsletter you're reading, but with a new name and a few changes.

please do not worry. It's your central hub for news and insight on the future of transportation.This week, read about AmazonEV start fiskeran electric boat, lots of new financing deals, and my time driving a brand new boat Kia EV9.

Alright, let's go!

small bird

A little bird pointed us to a new website with a familiar-looking electric truck on it.

Remember lordstown motorsan EV startup that went public via a SPAC and then filed for bankruptcy protection? steve burnsThe man who founded Lordstown Motors and was then ousted is back with a new EV startup. land x motors.

LandX Motors' new website prominently features the same electric endurance pickup truck he once promised would beat Tesla, Ford and General Motors.

People familiar with the company's plans told TechCrunch it's less about the Endurance truck and more about its underlying platform, software and engineering. Still, it's unclear how far along the plan is, as the former Lordstown truck plays a starring role on the company's website and videos.

Want to contact us with a tip, comment, or complaint? Email Kirsten at kirsten.karasec@techcrunch.com or sean.okane@techcrunch.com. If you wish to remain anonymous, Click here to contact usthis includes SecureDrop (instructions here) and various encrypted messaging apps.

This week's sale

Supply chain logistics startup flex port 2023 was a very turbulent year for everyone, including the founder. ryan petersen He ousted his hand-picked successor, took back the CEO position, and acquired the assets of the then-shuttered digital freight network Convoy.

The startup will start 2024 by boosting its business with $260 million in “uncapped convertible debt.'' ShopifyThe deal was announced by Petersen in a series of posts on social media site X.

Note that Shopify and Flexport are already attached. Flexport acquired Shopify's logistics division in 2023. The deal gives Shopify a 13% stake in Flexport and a seat on its board of directors.

Other sales that caught my attention…

electraThe Paris-based EV charging startup has raised $330 million in a Series B round led by Dutch pension fund service provider PGGM and large venture funds from Bpifrance. Eurazeo, RIVE Private Investment, SNCF Group through 574 Invest and Serena also participated.

Franziska Bossert, the new head of the Amazon Industrial Innovation Fund, spoke to me about how the $1 billion fund is evolving. Tl;dr: She has expanded her geographic focus to Asia and Europe, and is focusing on her three areas, including AI.

international battery companyis a start-up company developing lithium-ion battery cells for EVs, and has raised $35 million in a pre-Series A round led by RTP Global.

land motoa Cleveland-based electric motorcycle startup, has raised $3 million in a round led by a special purpose venture vehicle called Nunc Coepi Ventures.

lightship, an all-electric RV startup, has raised $34 million in a Series B round co-led by Obvious Ventures and Prelude Ventures. Other new investors include Allegis Capital, global RV manufacturer THOR Industries and its investment partner TechNexus Venture Collaborative.

north bolt, the Swedish battery startup has secured a $5 billion debt deal to help pay for the expansion costs of its first Gigafactory. TC+ reporter Tim de Chant wrote: “Northvolt's $5 billion loan is not enough to guarantee success, but it should be enough to ramp up production to our goal of 60 gigawatt hours.”

Uber Suspend alcohol delivery service drizzle It comes three years after the taxi-hailing company acquired the company for $1.1 billion.

Notable reads and other trivia

self-driving car

TuSimple plans to completely withdraw from the U.S. market and delist from the Nasdaq Stock Exchange.

electric car, charging, battery

BMW''s future growth depends on EVs, and they're finally starting to take off, writes TC+ reporter Tim de Chants.

fisker's The electric Ocean SUV is under investigation by federal regulators over complaints of brake loss.

GM The company has recalled 66 electric delivery vans manufactured by the company. bright drop The company acquired the subsidiary late last year after at least two of its front-drive units caught fire. The cause appears to be related to a manufacturing defect.

Navierelectric boat startup has launched a hydrofoil pilot program through a partnership with . stripe It transports passengers from the San Francisco suburbs to downtown.

the future of flight

wingThis is a drone delivery company operated by. alphabetplans to introduce larger vessels capable of delivering heavier loads to customers.

wheel of the week

Image credits: Kirsten Kolosek

I headed to Napa Valley to try it out. Kia EV9 – A three-row fully electric SUV that many believe will bring an entirely new EV customer to the market.

Before I give you a quick review of what I did and didn't like, I'd like to share with you some specs. The Kia EV9 comes in five trims, with the cheapest rear-wheel drive EV9 Light starting at $54,900. I tested the GT-Line trim. This is the top-of-the-line version with all-wheel drive starting at $73,900 with a range of 270 miles (for comparison, the AWD Rivian R1S comes with 260 miles as standard equipment). The EV9 Light RWD trim has a maximum range of 304 miles.

What did I like? It remained firmly planted even when I pushed the car a little on the winding road. It's also quiet, has the kind of interior details you'd expect from a luxury SUV, the seats are comfortable, and the advanced driver assistance systems are easy to operate. The third row isn't the most spacious, but it's certainly better than many three-row SUVs I've driven.

There were some mistakes. I think Kia missed an opportunity by not giving the EV9 rear-axle steering, and I'm not sure the battery range, which is between 230 and 304 miles depending on trim, will be enough for buyers. do not have. Finally, the layout of the interior cabin is almost complete, but I'm still not sure if I like the placement of the start button and gear shifter (the steering wheel is stock, tucked behind the wheel).