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I didn't meet. Jean Jennings Long after cementing the status quo of automotive journalism. At the time, Jennings (formerly Lindamood) was editor of Car and Driver and founded Automobile Magazine. — where she would eventually become editor-in-chief — launched a website called Jean Knows Cars. Jennings died on December 16. Lived with Alzheimer's disease at age 70.
To say she is well-known in the industry is an understatement. Ford CEO Jim Farley and Chairman Bill Ford to give you an idea of her impact An official announcement was made. In response to her death, Stellantis designer Ralph Gilles and many others in the industry posted their own tributes to Jean on social media.
Good reason. Jennings lived and breathed cars, first as a mechanic and later as a journalist and editor. Her articles and travels are part of the automobile. I'm dipping my toe into the automotive press pool and falling in, but I still know; of It's not just her writing that Jennings is witty and delightful. It's a bundle of energy that sometimes makes her a main character in other articles like Brock Yates. 1983 Baja Mexico Sedan Torture Trial C&D article.
Of course, Once you meet her (lucky me), there's no forgetting her. ginger Hats off.
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A little bird
Got an idea for us? Email Kirsten Korosec. kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.comSean O'Kane at sean.okane@techcrunch.comOr at Rebecca Bellan rebecca.bellan@techcrunch.com. or check. These instructions To learn how to contact us via encrypted messaging apps or SecureDrop.
Transactions
Hi The Biden administration Several initiatives are vying for approval before President-elect Donald Trump takes office, including the Clean Energy Credit. Recent Department of Energy (DOE) loan recipients include StarPlus Energy (a battery joint venture from Stellantis and Samsung). Rivian.
This week it's EVgo's turn to launch electric car charging.
DOE A $1.25 billion loan was approved. EVgo told EVgo to help install 7,500 public chargers at 1,100 charging stations across the U.S. over the next five years. The first deployment will include 350kW DC fast chargers capable of charging two cars simultaneously.
Other deals that caught my attention…
BekmoA UK startup that insures bikes and cyclists. It earned £4.75 million. ($5.9 million) in a round led by Puma Growth Partners.
Honda versus Nisan It is reported that joint discussions are being held. If combined, the merger, which could also include Mitsubishi, would make it the world's third-largest automaker. The intrigue surrounding the potential deal got even more interesting when Bloomberg reported that talks were accelerating after Foxconn, the Taiwan-based maker of iPhones. Nissan was approached to acquire a stake in the company..
NanoramidBoston-based advanced battery technology startup; It earned $44 million. Samsung Venture Investment Corporation; The round was led by General Motors Ventures and Catalus Capital, with participation from existing investors including Top Material and Fortistar Capital and WindSail Capital Group.
BackCroatian developer of advanced autonomous drone systems 5.8 million euros were raised. The seed round was led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, Radius Capital; ($6 million) with participation from Decisive Point and existing investor Day One Capital.
Slip robot It earned $28 million. In a Series B funding round led by DCVC, existing investors Eve Atlas; Tech Square Ventures; Hyde Park Venture Partners; It saw participation from Overline and Pathbreaker Ventures. DCVC's James Hardiman joined the board.
VaeridionProject A Ventures, a German aviation startup building an electric plane for short-haul commercial flights. Vsquared Ventures; Andreas Kupke Raised €14 million in Series A funding led by Schwarz Holding and InnovationQuarter.
ZingbusIndian Highway Service; raised $9 million. from BP Ventures in a Series A funding round.
Featured posts and other tips
Autonomous vehicles
Waymo It continued to enter areas where its previous competitors were planning to set up shop. The latest example: Waymo brings it. Robots to Tokyo As part of its Japan “road trip” in 2025, along with partner ride-hailing app GO and taxi company Nihon Kotsu, a history lesson: Cruise plans to operate in Japan in 2026 in partnership with Honda.
Waymo may be dominant, but its robotics still has challenges. A recent one Caught in a circle..
Reuters We obtained a document from the Trump transition team that shows a deep interest in ending the federal administration. Automakers are required to report crashes. When advanced driver assistance or autonomous driving technology is involved. Tesla CEO Elon Musk has long opposed the federal crash reporting rule. This is a remarkable time. If successful, Federal safety agencies will lose the ability to investigate and regulate the safety of vehicles with self-driving systems as more and more autonomous driving systems make their way onto public roads.
In the drama TuSimple continued. This time the co-founder and CEO Xiaodi Hou It is pushing shareholders. Change the board. Replace the company with new members who will support its dissolution.
Zoox leased. Zheng Gao As Director of Hardware Engineering, Zheng most recently spent eight years at Tesla and was the leader of Tesla's Autopilot hardware engineering team. Prior to Tesla, Zheng spent nine years at Apple.
electric cars, Charging and batteries
Canoe is Painful for money.. The EV startup has laid off its factory and laid off workers as it seeks emergency funding.
Hi Environmental Protection Agency (still under Biden's administration) would allow California. Most sales are prohibited. Gas and diesel-powered cars and light trucks starting in 2035. However, Remember, this is definitely reversed by the incoming Trump administration.
Ram It delayed its electric truck. Until 2026, a range-extended truck called the Ramcharger will be placed at the front of the lineup. Slowing EV demand is behind the decision.
Tesla brought back. Free Super Charging. It appears to be a shell game, as Tesla also raised the price of the Model S by $5,000 for customers buying the new Model S.
In-car technology
Rivian including the release of a new software update for its vehicles; It brings some long-awaited apps to its in-vehicle experience. YouTube Google Cast and SiriusXM (by subscription).
Other random Transpo news.
Kakao movementThe ride-hailing unit of Korean tech company Kakao $10.5 million in fines (KRW 15.1 billion) to restrict competitors' access to its taxi app.
Consonant Wing is expanding. Partnering with DoorDash for drone delivery to customers in the Dallas-Fort Worth Metroplex.
This week's wheels
TechCrunch reporter Rebecca Bellan spend time in 2025 Lucid Air Pure – Twice! you can Read the entire review here.. But for those who want a summary, here it is.
2025 Lucid Air Pure is a fantasy, It's attractive and luxurious — it's the cheapest in the EV maker's current lineup, and has decent tech to boot. As Bellan wrote, “I felt like I was wearing designer sweatpants, and while I felt like I was fantasizing about driving, I think the Lucid Air Pure is the equivalent of an expensive sport.
Still, Did it translate to value? Bellan said yes. But only if Lucid continues to improve its software with over-the-air updates.
As someone who has driven the Lucid Air a few times, I was pleased to find that some of my biggest gripes have been addressed, like the vehicle stuttering when the lane-centering feature is engaged.
What is “Wheels of the Week”? an electric or hybrid car; Whether it's riding in an e-bike or an autonomous vehicle, it's a chance to learn about the different transportation products we're testing. Future cars include new generations. Rivian R1S versus Volkswagen ID Buzz. stay tuned.