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One other week, one other batch of transportation information. And as at all times, senior reporter Sean O’Kane is deep within the Fisker beat. 

Fisker has slightly one thing to rejoice this week because it winds its manner by way of Chapter 11 chapter proceedings. Regardless of one main objector, a decide has authorised the sale of greater than 3,000 Fisker Ocean SUVs to a car leasing firm, a deal that can internet the defunct EV startup a most of $46.25 million. The proceedings nonetheless have a methods to go and some remaining hurdles, which O’Kane lays out intimately on this story. 

In fact, there was a lot extra that occurred this week. Let’s get to it. 

Somewhat fowl

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Offers!

This deal needs to be described as the nice unwinding.

I’m speaking about Yandex NV — the Netherlands-based firm that lately offered off its Russian enterprise and has been renamed Nebius Group. You may recall that Yandex NV, which owned the Russian search engine big, got here beneath scrutiny and sanctions after the 2022 invasion of Ukraine. The corporate reached an settlement earlier this yr to promote its Russian enterprise for about $5.2 billion to a consortium of Russian patrons. The deal formally wrapped up this week. 

Why will we care about this over right here at TechCrunch Mobility? Nebius is utilizing the proceeds of the sale to develop 4 initiatives, which embody Avride, an autonomous car know-how firm. Yandex has labored on autonomous driving know-how for years; I even examined out their tech at CES a number of years in the past. And a few of you will have encountered its supply robots, which use the identical underlying know-how, on faculty campuses. 

I spent a while speaking to the oldsters at Avride, together with Artem Fokin, who heads up enterprise improvement there. Preserve a watch out for my longer article on this firm. Within the meantime, I’ll depart you with a number of teasers. 

Avride has picked Austin, Texas, for its headquarters, the place the majority of its 270 workers will ultimately be positioned. The startup does have world operations, nevertheless, with workplaces in Tel Aviv, Belgrade and Seoul. Avride is at the moment testing its know-how in Austin and Seoul. 

Different offers that received my consideration …

Hayden AI Applied sciences, a startup that makes use of AI-powered digicam techniques to assist cities detect and implement parking and transferring violations, raised $90 million in a Sequence C spherical led by The Rise Fund. Current buyers such because the Drawdown Fund and Autotech Ventures additionally participated. 

Huture, a Chinese language hydrogen power firm, will go public within the U.S. through a merger with blank-check agency Aquaron Acquisition Corp. The mixed firm could be valued at $1 billion.

Transferring Tech, the Bengaluru-based mum or dad agency of Indian open supply ride-sharing app Namma Yatri, raised $11 million in a pre-Sequence A funding spherical co-led by Blume Ventures and Antler. Google additionally participated within the spherical.

Northbound, a German startup that has developed software program for world transport logistics, raised €1.3 million ($1.42 million) in a pre-seed spherical led by Apex Black. Buyers id4 ventures, IBB Ventures, Schenker Ventures and MVP Manufacturing facility additionally participated.

Tekion Corp., a California-based startup based in 2016 that developed software program for automotive retailers and producers, raised $200 million from Dragoneer Funding Group that pushes its valuation above $4 billion.

UP.Companions, the Santa Monica-based VC agency that focuses on mobility startups, is aiming to lift $230 million for its second fund, per an SEC submitting and reporting by Axios. 

Notable reads and different tidbits

Autonomous automobiles

Aurora co-founder Sterling Anderson lately sat down with George Gianarikas, the sustainable and autonomous driving analyst at Canaccord Genuity, for a dialogue on totally different approaches to driverless automobiles. It’s price listening to Anderson’s ideas on end-to-end AI — the strategy that Tesla purports to make use of — and whether or not it may be safely utilized to autonomous automobiles. 

Tesla CEO Elon Musk has confirmed earlier reviews the corporate is delaying its robotaxi reveal, explaining it was as a result of he requested an “necessary design change to the entrance.” We’re nonetheless wanting for extra particulars, together with precisely when this robotaxi occasion shall be held. 

Keep in mind these Waymo robotaxis that had been vandalized? A Castro Valley resident was charged for allegedly slashing the tires of 17 Waymo robotaxis in San Francisco. Exterior cameras on the robotaxi caught the footage and helped police establish the suspect. 

In different Waymo information, Automotive Information dug into how the Alphabet-owned firm makes use of AI to boost self-driving car abilities.

Electrical automobiles, charging & batteries

TechCrunch contributor Tim Stevens discovered an attention-grabbing EV startup known as Helixx on the Goodwood Pageant of Velocity. Try this interview with Helixx co-founder and CEO Steve Pegg to be taught concerning the startup’s “factory-in-a-box” technique and its 3D-printed prototype supply van. As Stevens notes, Helixx’s pitch is much less about an endearingly boxy little van designed to price simply $6,000 and extra about rebooting every thing we learn about constructing vehicles.

VanMoof, the e-bike startup that declared chapter final yr, is again with new homeowners and a pitch to the 5,000 prospects who had pre-ordered e-bikes and had been left within the lurch. Can VanMoof woo them again? Senior reporter Rebecca Bellan offers us the thin. 

Way forward for flight

Archer Aviation and Southwest Airways introduced a partnership that can deal with determining what it’s going to take to construct out a community of electrical air taxis at California airports. As senior reporter Rebecca Bellan found, Southwest’s buyer knowledge is on the coronary heart of it. 

This week’s wheels

I wasn’t tremendous impressed final yr after I received into the Nissan Ariya, largely as a result of I had elevated expectations and felt that the value level was too excessive. In spite of everything, Nissan introduced us the Leaf; the Ariya ought to have been a slam dunk that included all the classes Nissan had realized from the Leaf and its prospects. 

I lately spent extra time within the all-electric SUV; this time it was the 2024 Nissan Ariya Empower+, a front-wheel-drive trim with two-tone Boulder Grey and Tremendous Black paint that will get about 289 miles of vary and has a base value of $47,690. (The bottom value doesn’t embody vacation spot charges or taxes.) Not a lot has modified between 2023 and 2024 mannequin years. Nonetheless, Nissan has lowered the value of the Nissan Ariya and its quite a few trim ranges, which solves considered one of my main complaints.  

The Ariya inside, together with the dashboard, has a contemporary and clear look that may be a clear improve from its Leaf predecessor. It feels spacious within the entrance due to the flat ground and transferring heart console. And the seats are good to have a look at and, importantly, snug to sit down in.

I recognize that the HVAC controls have their very own separate space beneath the 12.3-inch touchscreen. Nonetheless, haptic suggestions controls weren’t as participating as I would love; oftentimes, I’d find yourself hitting a button a number of occasions earlier than getting the motion I wished. I’m additionally not an enormous fan of the gear selector, however I did adapt after a number of outings. 

The Nissan Ariya Empower+ — the highest trim in front-wheel drive — comes with an 87 kWh battery and a single motor. The powertrain delivers 238 horsepower and 221 pound-feet of torque. On the street, that interprets to a car that provides a low-key, snug and balanced trip. And that’s fantastic for patrons who aren’t searching for off-the-line punchiness and performance-like dealing with (to be clear, the higher all-wheel-drive trims are quicker).

Nissan didn’t make any notable adjustments to the software program within the 2024 Ariya. I had hoped for extra enhancements on that entrance, together with the flexibility to set the state of cost through the central display screen. Proper now, prospects should flip to the My Nissan app to set the state of cost.