In funding news, Beta Technologies, a startup developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, raised $318 million in a Series C funding round. Other deals include DeepRoute.ai raising $100 million and Waymo closing a $5.6 billion round. The article also covers partnerships by Lyft with May Mobility, Mobileye, and Nexar, and Ford's decision to pause production of its F-150 Lightning electric pickup. Finally, the article shares first-hand experiences of TechCrunch staff members riding in Waymo's autonomous vehicles.
Key takeaways:
- Tesla has reportedly scrapped its $25,000 EV and replaced it with the robotaxi, causing a shift in strategy and leading to low morale among staff and some exits.
- EV startup Canoo is facing challenges with executives leaving and more furloughs, as confirmed in a regulatory filing.
- Beta Technologies, a startup developing electric vertical takeoff and landing aircraft, raised $318 million in a Series C funding round led by Qatar’s sovereign wealth fund, pushing its total funding past $1 billion.
- Lyft has announced partnerships with May Mobility, Mobileye, and Nexar, aiming to establish a foothold in the emerging autonomous vehicle market.