That's one small step for Musk, one giant leap for Autonomous Vehicles!
The 29th UN Climate Change Conference (COP29) began last Monday in Azerbaijan, with around 53,000 attendees. These COPs aim to help advance climate justice, focusing on funding for vulnerable nations to adapt to and recover from climate impacts. Some of the key announcements from week 1, included the UK's commitment to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 81% by 2035, Indonesia's plans to pursue emission reduction targets at the provincial level starting in 2025, and Brazil's new target to reduce emissions by up to 67% by 2035. A significant development was the fast-tracking of a centralised carbon trading mechanism under Article 6.4 of the Paris Agreement, allowing countries to trade credits for reducing emissions. However, the adoption without discussion sparked criticism over transparency. The Integrity Council approved methodologies for high-integrity carbon credits to reduce deforestation and forest degradation. The UNEP's An Eye on Methane report highlighted the lack of government action on methane emissions despite pledges. Additionally, the COP29 Presidency launched energy pledges, including targets for global energy storage and green hydrogen market development. The New Collective Quantified Goal (NCQG) draft text linked climate finance with biodiversity and sustainable development, but major political challenges remain. Adaptation finance is still far from the levels needed, with a significant gap in funding for agriculture and land use in Africa. Overall, COP29's first week set the stage for ambitious climate action but underscored the need for increased cooperation and funding to meet global climate goals.
NASA has announced it has awarded $11.5m to 5 organisations under its Advanced Aircraft Concepts for Environmental Sustainability (AACES) 2050 initiative. The projects are expected to be completed by mid-2026. The recipients include Aurora Flight Sciences, Electra, JetZero, Pratt & Whitney, and Georgia Institute of Technology. These funds will support research into sustainable aircraft technologies, such as electric propulsion, cryogenic liquid hydrogen fuel, and advanced aerodynamic designs. Electra will enhance its electric aircraft prototype, while JetZero will explore hydrogen fuel integration with a blended wing body design. Georgia Tech will investigate new fuels and propulsion systems, and Pratt & Whitney will focus on lowering emissions and increasing propulsive efficiency. The goal is to develop transformative solutions for reducing aviation's environmental impact by 2050. These awards are part of NASA's broader effort to achieve net-zero aviation emissions by 2050 and enhance America’s technological competitiveness in sustainable aviation.
President-elect Donald Trump's transition team reportedly plans to prioritise creating a federal framework for fully self-driving vehicles. This initiative aims to ease current regulations that limit the deployment of autonomous vehicles, which would benefit companies like Tesla. Elon Musk, a significant Trump donor and advocate for self-driving technology, stands to gain from these regulatory changes. Musk's plans for Tesla's driverless robotaxis, named CyberCab, are currently hindered by federal rules that restrict the number of autonomous vehicles without human controls. The Trump team is considering candidates for the Department of Transportation who can develop these new policies, including former Uber executive Emil Michael. A bipartisan bill is also in early discussions to establish federal rules for autonomous vehicles, aiming to increase the cap on self-driving vehicle deployments from 2,500 to 100,000 annually. This push for regulatory change appears to reflect a broader effort to streamline government processes and reduce bureaucratic hurdles. The incoming administration's focus on autonomous vehicle regulation is part of a larger agenda to dismantle government bureaucracy and slash spending. Musk has also been tapped to co-lead a new Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE!) initiative alongside Vivek Ramaswamy. This initiative aims to eliminate red tape and promote efficiency in government operations. The proposed changes could significantly impact the self-driving car industry, potentially accelerating the deployment of autonomous vehicles across America.
Metrobus has announced it has launched a liquid hydrogen fuelling station at its Crawley depot, marking a significant step towards sustainable travel. This station supports Metrobus's fleet of Wrightbus hydrogen fuel cell-electric buses, which previously relied on gaseous hydrogen. The new liquid hydrogen system allows for faster refuelling, taking around 8 minutes to fill an empty tank. On its first day, the station successfully fuelled 9 buses. The liquid hydrogen is stored at the depot and converted to gas for use in the buses. This depot is expected to enhance the efficiency and operational capacity of Metrobus's fleet, which includes the Fastway services. The buses can travel up to 600 miles on a single fill, double the range of comparable electric vehicles. Metrobus aims to expand its hydrogen bus fleet to 54 vehicles, significantly reducing emissions and supporting the decarbonisation of local public transport.
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Tourlane, a Berlin-based travel startup, has raised €25m in a Series D funding round led by Sequoia Capital. Tourlane focuses on AI-powered, personalised travel experiences, which allows users to design multi-stop journeys with tailored recommendations. The company plans to use the funds to bridge the path to profitability while continuing to invest in its product and growth. Some of this new funding will be used to enhance its AI capabilities and improve customer support. To date, the startup has served over 100,000 travellers and it is now aggressively pursuing to upscale its reach and operations as it aims to become a leader in sustainable, data-driven travel solutions.
Ecolectro, an American electrolyser start-up, has raised $10.5m in a Series A funding round led by Toyota Ventures. The capital raised will help accelerate the development of Ecolectro’s anion exchange membrane (AEM) systems, which can produce green hydrogen for under $2.5/kg. Ecolectro’s AEM electrolysers use recyclable, eco-friendly materials, eliminating the need for rare metals and harmful chemicals. The technology achieves over 70% efficiency and operates well in high temperatures and alkaline conditions. Ecolectro has launched a 10kW pilot with Liberty New York Gas, producing green hydrogen for commercial heating. The startup plans to scale up to 1MW and develop commercial-class electrolysers by H2 2025. This should help reduce costs and barriers to green hydrogen adoption, which is crucial for decarbonising heavy industries.
Tozero, a Munich-based sustainable lithium-ion battery recycling startup, has raised €11m in a Seed funding round led by NordicNinja. This startup focuses on recycling lithium-ion batteries to recover critical materials like lithium and graphite. The funds will be used to build their first industrial deployment plant and scale commercial production. Tozero's technology, which it claims, cuts emissions by 70% compared to traditional methods, has already delivered high-purity recycled lithium to customers. The startup is aiming to process 30,000 tonnes of battery waste annually by 2026, addressing Europe's lithium supply gap and supporting a circular economy.
Skydio, an American drone manufacturer, has raised $170m in an extension of its Series E funding round, which initially brought in $230m in early 2023. Skydio aims to leverage this capital to expand its product offerings and maintain its competitive edge in the North American market. This new funding includes strategic investors such as KDDI and Axon. KDDI invested around c.$60m and plans to deploy Skydio drones at 1,000 locations across Japan, enhancing LTE connectivity for the drones. Skydio has shifted its focus from consumer drones to enterprise, public safety, and military applications, generating over $100m in annual revenue in 2023, with c.30% from software. The company reported a 38.1% gross margin, driven by a shift towards software sales and production efficiencies.
ePlane, an Indian flying taxi startup, has raised $14m in a Series B funding round led by Speciale Invest and Antares Ventures. This investment values the startup at $46 million post-money. The startup is developing the e200x, an electric vertical take-off and landing (eVTOL) vehicle designed for urban air mobility. The e200x features a compact 8-meter wingspan, enabling it to navigate tight urban spaces and perform up to 60 short trips per day on a single charge. The company aims to commercialise its air taxis by mid-to-late 2026, following prototype testing and certification in 2025. The funding will support global regulatory certifications and commercialisation efforts. ePlane plans to expand beyond India into markets such as the Middle East, Southeast Asia, Australia, and Europe.
Vecna Robotics, a Massachusetts-based industrial automation startup, has announced it has raised $14.5m in funding from existing investors. The company also announced the appointment of Karl Lagnemma, former CEO of Motional, as its new CEO. Vecna Robotics specialises in autonomous material handling solutions for factories and warehouses, including autonomous forklifts and pallet trucks. The new funds will be used to accelerate product development and enhance their automation technology. This startup intends to address the needs of the automotive, general manufacturing, and high-volume warehousing sectors. The company has raised a total of $179m to date and plans to leverage Mr Lagnemma's expertise to forge strategic partnerships and scale commercially.
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