Micromobility America returns to San Francisco with the latest light electric vehicles
Micromobility America is set for its latest annual US-based conference, bringing together many of the leading companies, consultants, policymakers, and more in the micromobility industry. Two days of e-bikes, e-scooters, and just about everything else is set to kick off later this week.
Running from October 19-20, 2023, the Micromobility America conference will showcase “over 100 speakers from different areas of the alternative transportation universe, including founders, journalists covering the industry, politicians and policymakers, investors, and so on. Over 1,500 attendees are expected to join the event, taking part in presentations, product launches, award shows, test rides, networking events, and more.”
The first day of the conference is expect to be largely industry-related, focusing on B2B (business to business) topics.
The second day will expand to include more B2C (business to consumer) subjects and will include the first ever “Ride of a Lifetime,” a mass group ride from the venue through the streets, featuring giveaways, music, and more. The group ride was inspired by the successful Rave Ride earlier this year that capped off the Amsterdam-based component of the show, Micromobility Europe.
One of the many highlights of this year’s show is a series of thought-provoking panels attended by CEOs, journalists, policymakers, and other leading individuals in the industry. The panels include “The Shifting Landscape of Shared Micromobility,” “The Road to Retail: How to Sell Small EVs,” “Innovations in Last-Mile Logistics: Delivery Robots, Drones, and Beyond,” “Delivering Change: How to Get More Couriers on Two-Wheels,” and many more.
The attendee and presenter list is sprawling this year and seems to be branching out even wider, especially into the electric motorcycle space. Light electric motorcycle companies like Ryvid and Land will be in attendance, as well as what looks to be dozens of e-bike and e-scooter companies. The Startup Awards section is a great chance to see new, up-and-coming companies with fresh ideas and new takes on existing problems in the industry. The test track area brings together dozens of interesting light electric vehicles for a chance to test new rides that many people only ever get a chance to see in pictures and videos.
Ticket prices for the entire show aren’t for the faint of heart, priced at US $450 up to today (and that even includes a discount!), though the event is largely targeted toward industry and commercial attendees. For those that just want to come and test ride all of the interesting vehicles, US $10 will net you a pass to the Ride Expo on October 20 from 12:30 p.m. to 4:30 p.m.
The Ride of the Lifetime festival-like group ride will likely depart from the event at the Craneway Pavillion around 4:30 p.m. at the end of the Ride Expo. Anyone already taking part in the Ride Expo can join up, but if you want to experience the fun while keeping it completely free, then don’t tell anyone I told you this, but you can probably just hang around the parking lot around that time with your bike or scooter, and then join in with the massive group ride through the streets when they depart the event. If the Amsterdam show was any indication, the group ride included tons of locals who just happened to be around and joined in for the fun.
To see what the group ride will likely look like, check out my video below from the Amsterdam show earlier this year. The Rave Ride starts at around 7:50 p.m.
Electrek’s Take
I attended this conference last year, as well as the European version earlier this year, and both were an awesome experience to talk to some of the most important movers and shakers across the industry. The event is heavily attended by CEOs of most of these major e-bike, e-scooter, and e-moto companies.
Being able to test so many different vehicles, especially back-to-back in order to make direct comparisons, is an invaluable experience.
On a personal note, I unfortunately won’t be able to attend the show this year. I had been on the speaker list, but I live in Israel and after the Hamas terror attacks on October 7, I’ve been supporting the defense of my country, working when I can, and protecting my family. In fact, I wrote around half of this article from my laptop in a bomb shelter after escaping the third rocket barrage today on Tel Aviv. I would love nothing more than to be spending my time at the show, discussing and riding e-bikes, e-scooters, and every other form of alternative personal transportation. But fighting the ugly evils of terrorism has taken precedent. If you are a person of faith, please pray for all of us. If you are not, I hope you will send your positive energy. Both we as Israelis and the many innocent Palestinians that do not support Hamas deserve to live in peace as neighbors in our own countries. The atrocities committed by terrorists seek to prevent that peace. Through their removal, hopefully we can find the peace we all deserve.
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Leading electric vehicle analyst, author, and industry thought leaders Loren McDonald and Bill Ferro stop by Quick Charge to discuss EV Adoption’s acquisition by Paren, the “crisis” of EV charging reliability, and the real state of the EV market.
Depending on who you listen, EVs are either driving brands to record growth and are about cross that critical 10% of the overall market nationwide, or the future is bleak, the market is down, and EVs just aren’t selling. What’s really going on? Loren and Bill (probably) have some answers.
Today’s episode is sponsored by BLUETTI, a leading provider of portable power stations, solar generators, and energy storage systems. For a limited time, save up to 52% during BLUETTI’s exclusive Black Friday sale, now through November 28, and be sure to use promo code BLUETTI5OFF for 5% off all power stations site wide. Click here to learn more.
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Read more: All my favorite EVs, racecars, and robots from Electrify Expo Austin.
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Chevy EV owners in Texas who have Reliant as their electric utility can now charge for free at night with renewable energy.
Over 150 Chevrolet dealerships across Texas are now offering the Reliant Free Charge Nights plan to new EV buyers. With Free Charge Nights, customers can offset their charging costs by receiving credits for electricity used between 11 pm and 6 am. The plan is powered entirely by renewable energy, thanks to the purchase of renewable energy certificates (RECs).
Rasesh Patel, president of NRG Consumer, says the plan is about making power personal: “We’re excited to help Chevrolet EV drivers offset the cost of charging their vehicle all while having access to a renewable electricity plan.”
This collaboration aims to make EV adoption more appealing by making charging cheaper and greener. GM Energy’s chief revenue officer, Aseem Kapur, emphasized that partnerships like this help build the ecosystem needed to support an all-electric future: “The Reliant Free Charge Nights plan is a great example of how an automaker and an energy company can work together to make EV adoption an easy decision.”
Existing Reliant customers can also sign up for the Free Charge Nights plan. To get started, Chevrolet EV owners need to designate their vehicle on the GM Energy Smart Charging Portal before enrolling in the plan.
Reliant Energy, a subsidiary of NRG Energy, serves over 1.5 million customers in Texas, making it one of the largest electricity providers in the state.
Read more: Texas to get 1 GW AI-powered virtual power plant, enough to power 200,000 homes
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Texas is about to get a major power boost – a new AI-powered virtual power plant (VPP) delivering capacity equivalent to 200,000 homes during peak demand.
NRG Energy is teaming up with Renew Home to bring nearly 1 gigawatt (GW) of capacity to the Texas grid by 2035, aiming to make it more resilient while helping residents save on energy costs.
The new VPP will rely on hundreds of thousands of smart thermostats and other connected home devices, making use of AI technology provided by Google Cloud. These devices, like Vivint and Nest smart thermostats, will be offered to eligible customers at no cost. By automating HVAC adjustments, they help shift energy use to when electricity is cheaper, cleaner, and less strained.
NRG and Renew Home have big plans for the VPP. Starting in spring 2025, the companies plan to roll out the program across Texas, installing these smart thermostats in homes served by NRG’s retail electricity providers. Eventually, they plan to add home battery storage and EVs to expand the power plant’s capabilities.
Texas has faced record-breaking energy demands, with peak usage hitting 85 GW in 2023. As the state’s population grows and extreme weather becomes more frequent, VPPs like this one could play a key role in stabilizing the grid. VPPs aggregate a lot of small-scale energy resources, from smart thermostats to home batteries, and use them to help balance supply and demand during times of high stress on the grid.
This nearly 1 GW VPP will be one of the largest of its kind in Texas. NRG’s president of consumer operations, Rasesh Patel, calls it a “pivotal step” for improving customer experience while making Texas’ energy infrastructure more sustainable and resilient.
In addition to Renew Home, NRG is working with Google Cloud to maximize the power plant’s effectiveness. Google Cloud’s AI and analytics tools will help predict weather conditions, forecast renewable generation, and optimize energy usage, all of which will help make energy management smoother for both customers and the grid.
Ben Brown, CEO of Renew Home, said:
NRG’s commitment to creating a more resilient and sustainable energy future while also making electricity bills more affordable makes them an ideal partner for co-developing this unique VPP program.
This initiative raises the bar for future-proofing our electricity infrastructure and delivering cost savings to customers.
Read: Chinese solar giant Trina sells its Texas factory a week after it opens
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Your personalized solar quotes are easy to compare online and you’ll get access to unbiased Energy Advisers to help you every step of the way. Get started here. –trusted affiliate link*
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