Rivian (RIVN) spin off ‘Also’ is a new micromobility EV startup for e-bikes, scooters, and more
After starting a “stealth program” years ago, Rivian’s (RIVN) new spin off will take on the micromobility space. Rivian spun out its micromobility business into a new EV startup called Also, Inc. The new brand will focus on lightweight vehicles like electric scooters, bikes, and more. Here’s what we know about Rivian’s new startup so far.
Rivian spin-off Also is a micromobility EV startup
Rivian is known for its flagship R1S electric SUV and R1T pickup, but the EV maker is planning to launch a series of (much) smaller vehicles.
Several years ago, Rivian started a “stealth program focused on micromobility” after seeing a massive need for smaller, sustainable transportation options.
In 2022, Rivian filed a trademark for electric bicycles and scooters, including the supporting components like battery packs, electric motors, and more.
Rivian’s initial goal was to see if it could use its advanced EV powertrain and software stack to make better products than what’s offered. And at a lower cost.
After significant advancements over the past few years, cutting costs and improving efficiency, the company said it “became clear Rivian’s approach had the potential to unlock a large opportunity.” According to Rivian, that opportunity deserves its own business.
Rivian announced on Wednesday that it has spun out its micromobility business into a new EV startup called Also, Inc.
Also secured a $105 million investment from Eclipse Ventures, which will be used to support the startup’s growth. Rivian’s CEO RJ Scaringe will serve as a Board of Director as Chairman.
Scaringe said, “For the world to fully transition to electrified transportation, a range of vehicle types and form factors will be needed.” According to Scaringe, the new EV startup will introduce several new innovations that will underpin “a range of highly compelling micromobility products” that will define new categories.
Rivian owns a “substantial minority stake” in Also and said it expects more opportunities for collaboration in the future. However, it will remain a standalone company.
Scaringe told TechCrunch that the “stealth” micromobility program now consists of around 70 former Apple, Google, Tesla, and Uber employees.
The startup will showcase its first product later this year. Although no details were offered, Scaringe said, “There’s a seat, and there’s two wheels, there’s a screen, and there’s a few computers and a battery.”
Meanwhile, Rivian is preparing to launch its midsize R2. In an update on Tuesday, Tony Sanger, the company’s VP of production facilities, said the expansion at its Normal, IL plant for R2 is still on track. Rivian plans to begin deliveries in the first half of 2026.
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In a joint statement, French and German economists have called on governments to adopt “a common approach” to decarbonize European trucking fleets – and they’re calling for a focus on fully electric trucks, not hydrogen.
France and Germany are the two largest economies in the EU, and they share similar challenges when it comes to freight decarbonization. The two countries also share a border, and the traffic between the two nations generates major cross-border flows that create common externalities between the two countries.
At the same time, the EU’s transport sector has struggled to reduce emissions at the same rate as other industries – and road freight in particular is a major contributor to harmful carbon emissions issue due to that industry’s heavy reliance on diesel-powered trucks.
And for once, it seems like rail isn’t a viable option:
While rail remains competitive mainly for heavy, homogeneous goods over long distances. Most freight in Europe is indeed transported over distances of less than 200 km and involves consignment weights of up to 30 tonnes (GCEE, 2024) In most such cases, transportation by rail instead of truck is not possible or not competitive. Moreover, taking into account the goods currently transported in intermodal transport units over distances of more than 300 km, the modal shift potential from road to rail would be only 6% in Germany and less than 2% in France.
That leaves trucks – and, while numerous government incentives currently exist to promote the parallel development of both hydrogen and battery electric vehicle infrastructures, the study is clear in picking a winner.
“Policies should focus on battery-electric trucks (BET) as these represent the most mature and market-ready technology for road freight transport,” reads the the FGCEE statement. “Hence, to ramp-up usage of BET public funding should be used to accelerate the roll-out of fast-charging networks along major corridors and in private depots.”
The appeal was signed by the co-chair of the advisory body on the German side is the chairwoman of the German Council of Economic Experts, Monika Schnitzer. Camille Landais co-chairs the French side. On the German side, the appeal was signed by four of the five experts; Nuremberg-based energy economist Veronika Grimm (who also sits on the National Hydrogen Council, which is committed to promoting H2 trucks and filling stations) did not sign.
You can read an English version of the CAE FGCEE joint statement here.
Electrek’s Take
MAN Trucks’ CEO famously said that it was “impossible” for hydrogen to compete with BEVs, and even committed to building 200 hydrogen-powered semi truck to prove out that hypothesis.
He’s not alone. MAN’s board member for research and development, Frederik Zohm, said that the company is the one saying hydrogen still has years to go. “(MAN) continues to research fuel cell technology based on battery electrics,” he said, in a statement quoted by Hydrogen Insight, before another board member added that, “we (MAN) expect that, in the future, we will be able to best serve the vast majority of our customers’ transport applications with battery-electric trucks.”
With companies like Volvo and Renault and now Mercedes racking up millions of miles on their respective battery electric semi truck fleets, it’s no longer even close. EV is the way.
SOURCE | IMAGES: CAE FGCEE; via Electrive.
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GE Vernova has produced over half the turbines needed for SunZia Wind, which will be the largest wind farm in the Western Hemisphere when it comes online in 2026.
GE Vernova has manufactured enough turbines at its Pensacola, Florida, factory to supply over 1.2 gigawatts (GW) of the turbines needed for the $5 billion, 2.4 GW SunZia Wind, a project milestone. The wind farm will be sited in Lincoln, Torrance, and San Miguel counties in New Mexico.
At a ribbon-cutting event for Pensacola’s new customer experience center, GE Vernova CEO Scott Strazik noted that since 2023, the company has invested around $70 million in the Pensacola factory.
The Pensacola investments are part of the announcement GE Vernova made in January that it will invest nearly $600 million in its US factories and facilities over the next two years to help meet the surging electricity demands globally. GE Vernova says it’s expecting its investments to create more than 1,500 new US jobs.
Vic Abate, CEO of GE Vernova Wind, said, “Our dedicated employees in Pensacola are working to address increasing energy demands for the US. The workhorse turbines manufactured at this world-class factory are engineered for reliability and scalability, ensuring our customers can meet growing energy demand.”
SunZia Wind and Transmission will create US history’s largest clean energy infrastructure project.
Read more: The largest clean energy project in US history closes $11B, starts full construction
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