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EV manufacturer XPENG will begin the global rollout of its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving system next year, the AI-powered model marking an important step in the company’s efforts to develop driverless cars. Unfortunately, this tech won’t be arriving in the U.S., with high tariffs continuing to keep the Chinese automakers out of the country.

SEE ALSO: Chinese EVs are spreading across the globe, but not in the U.S.

Yet despite this, XPENG continues to maintain its Silicon Valley R&D centre, as well as develop its tech to account for U.S. drivers. Speaking to Mashable, XPENG’s General Intelligence Center head Dr. Xianming Liu explained that, while it isn’t in the U.S. market and doesn’t test its cars in the country, having an R&D centre there remains invaluable for ensuring it’s familiar with driving habits and conditions across the world.

“We need to make sure we and our R&D team understand the regulations, the traffic rules, but also the customer needs or customer habits. Once you have people locally drive [their cars] every day in Europe, in the U.S., you will know what people will like,” said Liu. “How people are using [their cars] and how the regulations are different. I mean, the traffic rules are different, the traffic signs, everything is different.”

XPENG has also established an R&D centre in Munich, Germany, Liu telling Mashable that each of these locations offer the company specific individual advantages. While Silicon Valley has a lot of talent and innovation, Germany excels at manufacturing and is home to several successful automotive companies. By conducting R&D in these areas, XPENG aims to both utilise and learn from these resources.

“Once you have an R&D centre in all the areas of the world, you can combine all the talent, all the thoughts together, and you can just make sure everyone is complementary to each other,” said Liu.

EVs: the future of the automotive industry

XPENG is doing R&D in the U.S., but isn’t selling cars there. Here’s why. EV manufacturer XPENG will begin the global rollout of its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving system next year, the AI-powered model marking an important step in the company’s efforts to develop driverless cars. Unfortunately, this tech won’t be arriving in the U.S., with high tariffs continuing to keep the Chinese automakers out of the country. SEE ALSO: Chinese EVs are spreading across the globe, but not in the U.S. Yet despite this, XPENG continues to maintain its Silicon Valley R&D centre, as well as develop its tech to account for U.S. drivers. Speaking to Mashable, XPENG’s General Intelligence Center head Dr. Xianming Liu explained that, while it isn’t in the U.S. market and doesn’t test its cars in the country, having an R&D centre there remains invaluable for ensuring it’s familiar with driving habits and conditions across the world.“We need to make sure we and our R&D team understand the regulations, the traffic rules, but also the customer needs or customer habits. Once you have people locally drive [their cars] every day in Europe, in the U.S., you will know what people will like,” said Liu. “How people are using [their cars] and how the regulations are different. I mean, the traffic rules are different, the traffic signs, everything is different.”XPENG has also established an R&D centre in Munich, Germany, Liu telling Mashable that each of these locations offer the company specific individual advantages. While Silicon Valley has a lot of talent and innovation, Germany excels at manufacturing and is home to several successful automotive companies. By conducting R&D in these areas, XPENG aims to both utilise and learn from these resources.“Once you have an R&D centre in all the areas of the world, you can combine all the talent, all the thoughts together, and you can just make sure everyone is complementary to each other,” said Liu.EVs: the future of the automotive industry XPENG showed off the technology in its cars at the Beijing Auto Show. Credit: XPENG This includes tapping into China’s resources as well. Like the San Francisco Bay Area, Liu stated that there’s an abundance of talent in China’s Greater Bay Area, including in Guangzhou where XPENG is headquartered. The widespread acceptance of EVs in China certainly helps autonomous car development in the region as well.“We have people, we have freedom, we have flexibility to build the innovations,” said Liu, speaking on the advantages of their Chinese R&D centre. “But also in China, the application of the AI system is pretty fast… People accept the concept of AI, accept the concept of [autonomous] driving, and also are willing to use it. So this gives us big room to keep iterating on the product.”Over half of all new cars sold in China are New Energy Vehicles (NEV), meaning that they are primarily or entirely powered by electricity. This April, that number rose above 60 percent. China isn’t the only country embracing EVs either, with global electric car sales rising by over 25 percent in 2024. Almost all new cars sold in Norway during 2025 were EVs, while regions such as Latin America and Africa saw EV adoption double. In comparison, U.S. EV uptake has slowed significantly over the past two years, although they still account for approximately 10 percent of new car sales in the country.“The new energy revolution is changing the world,” said Liu. “It’s not only happening in the U.S., not only in China, but also in other countries. South America, Central America, and even Europe, South Asia. So we will see the number keep increasing. And this can be very beneficial to the economy and also to the environment.”These aren’t the only advantages to widespread EV adoption. Liu also explained that NEVs have better compatibility with autonomous driving systems than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars.“The New Energy Vehicle is more suitable for intelligent car systems or smart driving because the control chain is shorter,” Liu said. “The signal is an electric signal instead of the power train using the gas.” Mashable Light Speed As such, it is far simpler to develop a fully autonomous EV than an ICE vehicle. If fully self-driving cars are to not only become a reality, but tech that is commonplace, it will require people —  and governments — to embrace electric cars first.Creating a safe self-driving car Autonomous driving systems are better suited to EVs than traditional combustion engine cars. Credit: XPENG Liu previously worked at U.S. self-driving car company Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors. When asked to compare development approaches in the U.S. and China’s autonomous car industries, he said he found them to be the same: with safety as paramount. “One underlying principle or philosophy that is not changing across different areas is safety,” said Liu. “That’s the first principle. No matter where you’re working at, no matter U.S., Europe, or China, or even Southeast Asia, the problem is the same.”Secondary to this is to ensure the car feels safe as well, offering a smooth, comfortable experience that drivers can enjoy with peace of mind. “We have four axes to evaluate our system. We call it CCES: comfort, compliance, efficiency, and safety,” said Liu. “So you can make sure the car is safe enough, but a lot of hard breaks [are] just not [comfortable].”For Liu, controlling the car’s speed is key to ensuring both safety and comfort. To deliver this, XPENG trains its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving model to identify and adjust to real-time road conditions, as well as recognise road marks and signs, rather than rely on map data to determine the car’s behaviour. “We don’t use any kind of rules or external information to say you have to drive this speed,” said Liu. “Of course, people can control the wheel, control the scroll to set up the speed limit [of the car]. The model tries to learn what kind of typical speed people will drive in this kind of situation, because we need to make sure the car is safe enough and also [isn’t] too slow.” Autonomous cars for the world (except the U.S.) Though VLA 2.0 is expected to hit the global market in 2027, XPENG hasn’t released any details about its international release schedule. At present, which country it will arrive in first will largely come down to whose regulations and standards XPENG can satisfy first.“We’re trying to work on different areas, different regions of the world, but we work with local governments to [ensure] we meet all the requirements,” said Liu.The U.S. may not be one of these regions, but being shut out of that market hasn’t slowed XPENG’s ambitions. The company is continuing to invest in R&D to ensure it can meet the different needs of new markets wherever they are. “We are seeing the trend [of increasing EV adoption] is changing the entire industry. All the cars selling now in China, if you don’t have the smart driving system, usually people will not consider it,” said Liu. “That’s why we keep pushing hard on the physical AI. Because we believe this is going to be the next big thing, and this is going to be invaluable in the next decade.”The auto industry is evolving at a rapid pace, with EV acceptance and adoption accelerating across the globe. XPENG is working to ensure they’re prepared for this future, and will be ready if the U.S. decides to join in.This interview has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.Disclosure: Mashable travelled to China as a guest of XPENG. Topics Self-Driving Cars Cars #XPENG #U.S #isnt #selling #cars #Heresxpeng p7,vla 2.0,autonomous driving,self-driving car,electric vehicle,china,mashable,amanda yeoh,self-parking,flying car,land aircraft carrier,us tariffs,automotive technology,evs

XPENG showed off the technology in its cars at the Beijing Auto Show. Credit: XPENG

This includes tapping into China’s resources as well. Like the San Francisco Bay Area, Liu stated that there’s an abundance of talent in China’s Greater Bay Area, including in Guangzhou where XPENG is headquartered. The widespread acceptance of EVs in China certainly helps autonomous car development in the region as well.

“We have people, we have freedom, we have flexibility to build the innovations,” said Liu, speaking on the advantages of their Chinese R&D centre. “But also in China, the application of the AI system is pretty fast… People accept the concept of AI, accept the concept of [autonomous] driving, and also are willing to use it. So this gives us big room to keep iterating on the product.”

Over half of all new cars sold in China are New Energy Vehicles (NEV), meaning that they are primarily or entirely powered by electricity. This April, that number rose above 60 percent. China isn’t the only country embracing EVs either, with global electric car sales rising by over 25 percent in 2024. Almost all new cars sold in Norway during 2025 were EVs, while regions such as Latin America and Africa saw EV adoption double. In comparison, U.S. EV uptake has slowed significantly over the past two years, although they still account for approximately 10 percent of new car sales in the country.

“The new energy revolution is changing the world,” said Liu. “It’s not only happening in the U.S., not only in China, but also in other countries. South America, Central America, and even Europe, South Asia. So we will see the number keep increasing. And this can be very beneficial to the economy and also to the environment.”

These aren’t the only advantages to widespread EV adoption. Liu also explained that NEVs have better compatibility with autonomous driving systems than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars.

“The New Energy Vehicle is more suitable for intelligent car systems or smart driving because the control chain is shorter,” Liu said. “The signal is an electric signal instead of the power train using the gas.”

As such, it is far simpler to develop a fully autonomous EV than an ICE vehicle. If fully self-driving cars are to not only become a reality, but tech that is commonplace, it will require people —  and governments — to embrace electric cars first.

Creating a safe self-driving car

The internal workings of an XPENG car on display at the Beijing Auto Show.

Autonomous driving systems are better suited to EVs than traditional combustion engine cars. Credit: XPENG

Liu previously worked at U.S. self-driving car company Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors. When asked to compare development approaches in the U.S. and China’s autonomous car industries, he said he found them to be the same: with safety as paramount. 

“One underlying principle or philosophy that is not changing across different areas is safety,” said Liu. “That’s the first principle. No matter where you’re working at, no matter U.S., Europe, or China, or even Southeast Asia, the problem is the same.”

Secondary to this is to ensure the car feels safe as well, offering a smooth, comfortable experience that drivers can enjoy with peace of mind. 

“We have four axes to evaluate our system. We call it CCES: comfort, compliance, efficiency, and safety,” said Liu. “So you can make sure the car is safe enough, but a lot of hard breaks [are] just not [comfortable].”

For Liu, controlling the car’s speed is key to ensuring both safety and comfort. To deliver this, XPENG trains its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving model to identify and adjust to real-time road conditions, as well as recognise road marks and signs, rather than rely on map data to determine the car’s behaviour.

“We don’t use any kind of rules or external information to say you have to drive this speed,” said Liu. “Of course, people can control the wheel, control the scroll to set up the speed limit [of the car]. The model tries to learn what kind of typical speed people will drive in this kind of situation, because we need to make sure the car is safe enough and also [isn’t] too slow.” 

Autonomous cars for the world (except the U.S.)

Though VLA 2.0 is expected to hit the global market in 2027, XPENG hasn’t released any details about its international release schedule. At present, which country it will arrive in first will largely come down to whose regulations and standards XPENG can satisfy first.

“We’re trying to work on different areas, different regions of the world, but we work with local governments to [ensure] we meet all the requirements,” said Liu.

The U.S. may not be one of these regions, but being shut out of that market hasn’t slowed XPENG’s ambitions. The company is continuing to invest in R&D to ensure it can meet the different needs of new markets wherever they are. 

“We are seeing the trend [of increasing EV adoption] is changing the entire industry. All the cars selling now in China, if you don’t have the smart driving system, usually people will not consider it,” said Liu. “That’s why we keep pushing hard on the physical AI. Because we believe this is going to be the next big thing, and this is going to be invaluable in the next decade.”

The auto industry is evolving at a rapid pace, with EV acceptance and adoption accelerating across the globe. XPENG is working to ensure they’re prepared for this future, and will be ready if the U.S. decides to join in.

This interview has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.

Disclosure: Mashable travelled to China as a guest of XPENG.

Topics Self-Driving Cars Cars

#XPENG #U.S #isnt #selling #cars #Heresxpeng p7,vla 2.0,autonomous driving,self-driving car,electric vehicle,china,mashable,amanda yeoh,self-parking,flying car,land aircraft carrier,us tariffs,automotive technology,evs"> XPENG is doing R&D in the U.S., but isn’t selling cars there. Here’s why. EV manufacturer XPENG will begin the global rollout of its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving system next year, the AI-powered model marking an important step in the company’s efforts to develop driverless cars. Unfortunately, this tech won’t be arriving in the U.S., with high tariffs continuing to keep the Chinese automakers out of the country. SEE ALSO: Chinese EVs are spreading across the globe, but not in the U.S. Yet despite this, XPENG continues to maintain its Silicon Valley R&D centre, as well as develop its tech to account for U.S. drivers. Speaking to Mashable, XPENG’s General Intelligence Center head Dr. Xianming Liu explained that, while it isn’t in the U.S. market and doesn’t test its cars in the country, having an R&D centre there remains invaluable for ensuring it’s familiar with driving habits and conditions across the world.“We need to make sure we and our R&D team understand the regulations, the traffic rules, but also the customer needs or customer habits. Once you have people locally drive [their cars] every day in Europe, in the U.S., you will know what people will like,” said Liu. “How people are using [their cars] and how the regulations are different. I mean, the traffic rules are different, the traffic signs, everything is different.”XPENG has also established an R&D centre in Munich, Germany, Liu telling Mashable that each of these locations offer the company specific individual advantages. While Silicon Valley has a lot of talent and innovation, Germany excels at manufacturing and is home to several successful automotive companies. By conducting R&D in these areas, XPENG aims to both utilise and learn from these resources.“Once you have an R&D centre in all the areas of the world, you can combine all the talent, all the thoughts together, and you can just make sure everyone is complementary to each other,” said Liu.EVs: the future of the automotive industry XPENG showed off the technology in its cars at the Beijing Auto Show. Credit: XPENG This includes tapping into China’s resources as well. Like the San Francisco Bay Area, Liu stated that there’s an abundance of talent in China’s Greater Bay Area, including in Guangzhou where XPENG is headquartered. The widespread acceptance of EVs in China certainly helps autonomous car development in the region as well.“We have people, we have freedom, we have flexibility to build the innovations,” said Liu, speaking on the advantages of their Chinese R&D centre. “But also in China, the application of the AI system is pretty fast… People accept the concept of AI, accept the concept of [autonomous] driving, and also are willing to use it. So this gives us big room to keep iterating on the product.”Over half of all new cars sold in China are New Energy Vehicles (NEV), meaning that they are primarily or entirely powered by electricity. This April, that number rose above 60 percent. China isn’t the only country embracing EVs either, with global electric car sales rising by over 25 percent in 2024. Almost all new cars sold in Norway during 2025 were EVs, while regions such as Latin America and Africa saw EV adoption double. In comparison, U.S. EV uptake has slowed significantly over the past two years, although they still account for approximately 10 percent of new car sales in the country.“The new energy revolution is changing the world,” said Liu. “It’s not only happening in the U.S., not only in China, but also in other countries. South America, Central America, and even Europe, South Asia. So we will see the number keep increasing. And this can be very beneficial to the economy and also to the environment.”These aren’t the only advantages to widespread EV adoption. Liu also explained that NEVs have better compatibility with autonomous driving systems than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars.“The New Energy Vehicle is more suitable for intelligent car systems or smart driving because the control chain is shorter,” Liu said. “The signal is an electric signal instead of the power train using the gas.” Mashable Light Speed As such, it is far simpler to develop a fully autonomous EV than an ICE vehicle. If fully self-driving cars are to not only become a reality, but tech that is commonplace, it will require people —  and governments — to embrace electric cars first.Creating a safe self-driving car Autonomous driving systems are better suited to EVs than traditional combustion engine cars. Credit: XPENG Liu previously worked at U.S. self-driving car company Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors. When asked to compare development approaches in the U.S. and China’s autonomous car industries, he said he found them to be the same: with safety as paramount. “One underlying principle or philosophy that is not changing across different areas is safety,” said Liu. “That’s the first principle. No matter where you’re working at, no matter U.S., Europe, or China, or even Southeast Asia, the problem is the same.”Secondary to this is to ensure the car feels safe as well, offering a smooth, comfortable experience that drivers can enjoy with peace of mind. “We have four axes to evaluate our system. We call it CCES: comfort, compliance, efficiency, and safety,” said Liu. “So you can make sure the car is safe enough, but a lot of hard breaks [are] just not [comfortable].”For Liu, controlling the car’s speed is key to ensuring both safety and comfort. To deliver this, XPENG trains its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving model to identify and adjust to real-time road conditions, as well as recognise road marks and signs, rather than rely on map data to determine the car’s behaviour. “We don’t use any kind of rules or external information to say you have to drive this speed,” said Liu. “Of course, people can control the wheel, control the scroll to set up the speed limit [of the car]. The model tries to learn what kind of typical speed people will drive in this kind of situation, because we need to make sure the car is safe enough and also [isn’t] too slow.” Autonomous cars for the world (except the U.S.) Though VLA 2.0 is expected to hit the global market in 2027, XPENG hasn’t released any details about its international release schedule. At present, which country it will arrive in first will largely come down to whose regulations and standards XPENG can satisfy first.“We’re trying to work on different areas, different regions of the world, but we work with local governments to [ensure] we meet all the requirements,” said Liu.The U.S. may not be one of these regions, but being shut out of that market hasn’t slowed XPENG’s ambitions. The company is continuing to invest in R&D to ensure it can meet the different needs of new markets wherever they are. “We are seeing the trend [of increasing EV adoption] is changing the entire industry. All the cars selling now in China, if you don’t have the smart driving system, usually people will not consider it,” said Liu. “That’s why we keep pushing hard on the physical AI. Because we believe this is going to be the next big thing, and this is going to be invaluable in the next decade.”The auto industry is evolving at a rapid pace, with EV acceptance and adoption accelerating across the globe. XPENG is working to ensure they’re prepared for this future, and will be ready if the U.S. decides to join in.This interview has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.Disclosure: Mashable travelled to China as a guest of XPENG. Topics Self-Driving Cars Cars #XPENG #U.S #isnt #selling #cars #Heresxpeng p7,vla 2.0,autonomous driving,self-driving car,electric vehicle,china,mashable,amanda yeoh,self-parking,flying car,land aircraft carrier,us tariffs,automotive technology,evs
Tech-news

EV manufacturer XPENG will begin the global rollout of its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving system next year, the AI-powered model marking an important step in the company’s efforts to develop driverless cars. Unfortunately, this tech won’t be arriving in the U.S., with high tariffs continuing to keep the Chinese automakers out of the country.

SEE ALSO: Chinese EVs are spreading across the globe, but not in the U.S.

Yet despite this, XPENG continues to maintain its Silicon Valley R&D centre, as well as develop its tech to account for U.S. drivers. Speaking to Mashable, XPENG’s General Intelligence Center head Dr. Xianming Liu explained that, while it isn’t in the U.S. market and doesn’t test its cars in the country, having an R&D centre there remains invaluable for ensuring it’s familiar with driving habits and conditions across the world.

“We need to make sure we and our R&D team understand the regulations, the traffic rules, but also the customer needs or customer habits. Once you have people locally drive [their cars] every day in Europe, in the U.S., you will know what people will like,” said Liu. “How people are using [their cars] and how the regulations are different. I mean, the traffic rules are different, the traffic signs, everything is different.”

XPENG has also established an R&D centre in Munich, Germany, Liu telling Mashable that each of these locations offer the company specific individual advantages. While Silicon Valley has a lot of talent and innovation, Germany excels at manufacturing and is home to several successful automotive companies. By conducting R&D in these areas, XPENG aims to both utilise and learn from these resources.

“Once you have an R&D centre in all the areas of the world, you can combine all the talent, all the thoughts together, and you can just make sure everyone is complementary to each other,” said Liu.

EVs: the future of the automotive industry

XPENG is doing R&D in the U.S., but isn’t selling cars there. Here’s why. EV manufacturer XPENG will begin the global rollout of its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving system next year, the AI-powered model marking an important step in the company’s efforts to develop driverless cars. Unfortunately, this tech won’t be arriving in the U.S., with high tariffs continuing to keep the Chinese automakers out of the country. SEE ALSO: Chinese EVs are spreading across the globe, but not in the U.S. Yet despite this, XPENG continues to maintain its Silicon Valley R&D centre, as well as develop its tech to account for U.S. drivers. Speaking to Mashable, XPENG’s General Intelligence Center head Dr. Xianming Liu explained that, while it isn’t in the U.S. market and doesn’t test its cars in the country, having an R&D centre there remains invaluable for ensuring it’s familiar with driving habits and conditions across the world.“We need to make sure we and our R&D team understand the regulations, the traffic rules, but also the customer needs or customer habits. Once you have people locally drive [their cars] every day in Europe, in the U.S., you will know what people will like,” said Liu. “How people are using [their cars] and how the regulations are different. I mean, the traffic rules are different, the traffic signs, everything is different.”XPENG has also established an R&D centre in Munich, Germany, Liu telling Mashable that each of these locations offer the company specific individual advantages. While Silicon Valley has a lot of talent and innovation, Germany excels at manufacturing and is home to several successful automotive companies. By conducting R&D in these areas, XPENG aims to both utilise and learn from these resources.“Once you have an R&D centre in all the areas of the world, you can combine all the talent, all the thoughts together, and you can just make sure everyone is complementary to each other,” said Liu.EVs: the future of the automotive industry XPENG showed off the technology in its cars at the Beijing Auto Show. Credit: XPENG This includes tapping into China’s resources as well. Like the San Francisco Bay Area, Liu stated that there’s an abundance of talent in China’s Greater Bay Area, including in Guangzhou where XPENG is headquartered. The widespread acceptance of EVs in China certainly helps autonomous car development in the region as well.“We have people, we have freedom, we have flexibility to build the innovations,” said Liu, speaking on the advantages of their Chinese R&D centre. “But also in China, the application of the AI system is pretty fast… People accept the concept of AI, accept the concept of [autonomous] driving, and also are willing to use it. So this gives us big room to keep iterating on the product.”Over half of all new cars sold in China are New Energy Vehicles (NEV), meaning that they are primarily or entirely powered by electricity. This April, that number rose above 60 percent. China isn’t the only country embracing EVs either, with global electric car sales rising by over 25 percent in 2024. Almost all new cars sold in Norway during 2025 were EVs, while regions such as Latin America and Africa saw EV adoption double. In comparison, U.S. EV uptake has slowed significantly over the past two years, although they still account for approximately 10 percent of new car sales in the country.“The new energy revolution is changing the world,” said Liu. “It’s not only happening in the U.S., not only in China, but also in other countries. South America, Central America, and even Europe, South Asia. So we will see the number keep increasing. And this can be very beneficial to the economy and also to the environment.”These aren’t the only advantages to widespread EV adoption. Liu also explained that NEVs have better compatibility with autonomous driving systems than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars.“The New Energy Vehicle is more suitable for intelligent car systems or smart driving because the control chain is shorter,” Liu said. “The signal is an electric signal instead of the power train using the gas.” Mashable Light Speed As such, it is far simpler to develop a fully autonomous EV than an ICE vehicle. If fully self-driving cars are to not only become a reality, but tech that is commonplace, it will require people —  and governments — to embrace electric cars first.Creating a safe self-driving car Autonomous driving systems are better suited to EVs than traditional combustion engine cars. Credit: XPENG Liu previously worked at U.S. self-driving car company Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors. When asked to compare development approaches in the U.S. and China’s autonomous car industries, he said he found them to be the same: with safety as paramount. “One underlying principle or philosophy that is not changing across different areas is safety,” said Liu. “That’s the first principle. No matter where you’re working at, no matter U.S., Europe, or China, or even Southeast Asia, the problem is the same.”Secondary to this is to ensure the car feels safe as well, offering a smooth, comfortable experience that drivers can enjoy with peace of mind. “We have four axes to evaluate our system. We call it CCES: comfort, compliance, efficiency, and safety,” said Liu. “So you can make sure the car is safe enough, but a lot of hard breaks [are] just not [comfortable].”For Liu, controlling the car’s speed is key to ensuring both safety and comfort. To deliver this, XPENG trains its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving model to identify and adjust to real-time road conditions, as well as recognise road marks and signs, rather than rely on map data to determine the car’s behaviour. “We don’t use any kind of rules or external information to say you have to drive this speed,” said Liu. “Of course, people can control the wheel, control the scroll to set up the speed limit [of the car]. The model tries to learn what kind of typical speed people will drive in this kind of situation, because we need to make sure the car is safe enough and also [isn’t] too slow.” Autonomous cars for the world (except the U.S.) Though VLA 2.0 is expected to hit the global market in 2027, XPENG hasn’t released any details about its international release schedule. At present, which country it will arrive in first will largely come down to whose regulations and standards XPENG can satisfy first.“We’re trying to work on different areas, different regions of the world, but we work with local governments to [ensure] we meet all the requirements,” said Liu.The U.S. may not be one of these regions, but being shut out of that market hasn’t slowed XPENG’s ambitions. The company is continuing to invest in R&D to ensure it can meet the different needs of new markets wherever they are. “We are seeing the trend [of increasing EV adoption] is changing the entire industry. All the cars selling now in China, if you don’t have the smart driving system, usually people will not consider it,” said Liu. “That’s why we keep pushing hard on the physical AI. Because we believe this is going to be the next big thing, and this is going to be invaluable in the next decade.”The auto industry is evolving at a rapid pace, with EV acceptance and adoption accelerating across the globe. XPENG is working to ensure they’re prepared for this future, and will be ready if the U.S. decides to join in.This interview has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.Disclosure: Mashable travelled to China as a guest of XPENG. Topics Self-Driving Cars Cars #XPENG #U.S #isnt #selling #cars #Heresxpeng p7,vla 2.0,autonomous driving,self-driving car,electric vehicle,china,mashable,amanda yeoh,self-parking,flying car,land aircraft carrier,us tariffs,automotive technology,evs

XPENG showed off the technology in its cars at the Beijing Auto Show. Credit: XPENG

This includes tapping into China’s resources as well. Like the San Francisco Bay Area, Liu stated that there’s an abundance of talent in China’s Greater Bay Area, including in Guangzhou where XPENG is headquartered. The widespread acceptance of EVs in China certainly helps autonomous car development in the region as well.

“We have people, we have freedom, we have flexibility to build the innovations,” said Liu, speaking on the advantages of their Chinese R&D centre. “But also in China, the application of the AI system is pretty fast… People accept the concept of AI, accept the concept of [autonomous] driving, and also are willing to use it. So this gives us big room to keep iterating on the product.”

Over half of all new cars sold in China are New Energy Vehicles (NEV), meaning that they are primarily or entirely powered by electricity. This April, that number rose above 60 percent. China isn’t the only country embracing EVs either, with global electric car sales rising by over 25 percent in 2024. Almost all new cars sold in Norway during 2025 were EVs, while regions such as Latin America and Africa saw EV adoption double. In comparison, U.S. EV uptake has slowed significantly over the past two years, although they still account for approximately 10 percent of new car sales in the country.

“The new energy revolution is changing the world,” said Liu. “It’s not only happening in the U.S., not only in China, but also in other countries. South America, Central America, and even Europe, South Asia. So we will see the number keep increasing. And this can be very beneficial to the economy and also to the environment.”

These aren’t the only advantages to widespread EV adoption. Liu also explained that NEVs have better compatibility with autonomous driving systems than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars.

“The New Energy Vehicle is more suitable for intelligent car systems or smart driving because the control chain is shorter,” Liu said. “The signal is an electric signal instead of the power train using the gas.”

As such, it is far simpler to develop a fully autonomous EV than an ICE vehicle. If fully self-driving cars are to not only become a reality, but tech that is commonplace, it will require people —  and governments — to embrace electric cars first.

Creating a safe self-driving car

The internal workings of an XPENG car on display at the Beijing Auto Show.

Autonomous driving systems are better suited to EVs than traditional combustion engine cars. Credit: XPENG

Liu previously worked at U.S. self-driving car company Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors. When asked to compare development approaches in the U.S. and China’s autonomous car industries, he said he found them to be the same: with safety as paramount. 

“One underlying principle or philosophy that is not changing across different areas is safety,” said Liu. “That’s the first principle. No matter where you’re working at, no matter U.S., Europe, or China, or even Southeast Asia, the problem is the same.”

Secondary to this is to ensure the car feels safe as well, offering a smooth, comfortable experience that drivers can enjoy with peace of mind. 

“We have four axes to evaluate our system. We call it CCES: comfort, compliance, efficiency, and safety,” said Liu. “So you can make sure the car is safe enough, but a lot of hard breaks [are] just not [comfortable].”

For Liu, controlling the car’s speed is key to ensuring both safety and comfort. To deliver this, XPENG trains its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving model to identify and adjust to real-time road conditions, as well as recognise road marks and signs, rather than rely on map data to determine the car’s behaviour.

“We don’t use any kind of rules or external information to say you have to drive this speed,” said Liu. “Of course, people can control the wheel, control the scroll to set up the speed limit [of the car]. The model tries to learn what kind of typical speed people will drive in this kind of situation, because we need to make sure the car is safe enough and also [isn’t] too slow.” 

Autonomous cars for the world (except the U.S.)

Though VLA 2.0 is expected to hit the global market in 2027, XPENG hasn’t released any details about its international release schedule. At present, which country it will arrive in first will largely come down to whose regulations and standards XPENG can satisfy first.

“We’re trying to work on different areas, different regions of the world, but we work with local governments to [ensure] we meet all the requirements,” said Liu.

The U.S. may not be one of these regions, but being shut out of that market hasn’t slowed XPENG’s ambitions. The company is continuing to invest in R&D to ensure it can meet the different needs of new markets wherever they are. 

“We are seeing the trend [of increasing EV adoption] is changing the entire industry. All the cars selling now in China, if you don’t have the smart driving system, usually people will not consider it,” said Liu. “That’s why we keep pushing hard on the physical AI. Because we believe this is going to be the next big thing, and this is going to be invaluable in the next decade.”

The auto industry is evolving at a rapid pace, with EV acceptance and adoption accelerating across the globe. XPENG is working to ensure they’re prepared for this future, and will be ready if the U.S. decides to join in.

This interview has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.

Disclosure: Mashable travelled to China as a guest of XPENG.

Topics Self-Driving Cars Cars

#XPENG #U.S #isnt #selling #cars #Heresxpeng p7,vla 2.0,autonomous driving,self-driving car,electric vehicle,china,mashable,amanda yeoh,self-parking,flying car,land aircraft carrier,us tariffs,automotive technology,evs">XPENG is doing R&D in the U.S., but isn’t selling cars there. Here’s why.

EV manufacturer XPENG will begin the global rollout of its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving system next year, the AI-powered model marking an important step in the company’s efforts to develop driverless cars. Unfortunately, this tech won’t be arriving in the U.S., with high tariffs continuing to keep the Chinese automakers out of the country.

SEE ALSO: Chinese EVs are spreading across the globe, but not in the U.S.

Yet despite this, XPENG continues to maintain its Silicon Valley R&D centre, as well as develop its tech to account for U.S. drivers. Speaking to Mashable, XPENG’s General Intelligence Center head Dr. Xianming Liu explained that, while it isn’t in the U.S. market and doesn’t test its cars in the country, having an R&D centre there remains invaluable for ensuring it’s familiar with driving habits and conditions across the world.

“We need to make sure we and our R&D team understand the regulations, the traffic rules, but also the customer needs or customer habits. Once you have people locally drive [their cars] every day in Europe, in the U.S., you will know what people will like,” said Liu. “How people are using [their cars] and how the regulations are different. I mean, the traffic rules are different, the traffic signs, everything is different.”

XPENG has also established an R&D centre in Munich, Germany, Liu telling Mashable that each of these locations offer the company specific individual advantages. While Silicon Valley has a lot of talent and innovation, Germany excels at manufacturing and is home to several successful automotive companies. By conducting R&D in these areas, XPENG aims to both utilise and learn from these resources.

“Once you have an R&D centre in all the areas of the world, you can combine all the talent, all the thoughts together, and you can just make sure everyone is complementary to each other,” said Liu.

EVs: the future of the automotive industry

XPENG is doing R&D in the U.S., but isn’t selling cars there. Here’s why. EV manufacturer XPENG will begin the global rollout of its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving system next year, the AI-powered model marking an important step in the company’s efforts to develop driverless cars. Unfortunately, this tech won’t be arriving in the U.S., with high tariffs continuing to keep the Chinese automakers out of the country. SEE ALSO: Chinese EVs are spreading across the globe, but not in the U.S. Yet despite this, XPENG continues to maintain its Silicon Valley R&D centre, as well as develop its tech to account for U.S. drivers. Speaking to Mashable, XPENG’s General Intelligence Center head Dr. Xianming Liu explained that, while it isn’t in the U.S. market and doesn’t test its cars in the country, having an R&D centre there remains invaluable for ensuring it’s familiar with driving habits and conditions across the world.“We need to make sure we and our R&D team understand the regulations, the traffic rules, but also the customer needs or customer habits. Once you have people locally drive [their cars] every day in Europe, in the U.S., you will know what people will like,” said Liu. “How people are using [their cars] and how the regulations are different. I mean, the traffic rules are different, the traffic signs, everything is different.”XPENG has also established an R&D centre in Munich, Germany, Liu telling Mashable that each of these locations offer the company specific individual advantages. While Silicon Valley has a lot of talent and innovation, Germany excels at manufacturing and is home to several successful automotive companies. By conducting R&D in these areas, XPENG aims to both utilise and learn from these resources.“Once you have an R&D centre in all the areas of the world, you can combine all the talent, all the thoughts together, and you can just make sure everyone is complementary to each other,” said Liu.EVs: the future of the automotive industry XPENG showed off the technology in its cars at the Beijing Auto Show. Credit: XPENG This includes tapping into China’s resources as well. Like the San Francisco Bay Area, Liu stated that there’s an abundance of talent in China’s Greater Bay Area, including in Guangzhou where XPENG is headquartered. The widespread acceptance of EVs in China certainly helps autonomous car development in the region as well.“We have people, we have freedom, we have flexibility to build the innovations,” said Liu, speaking on the advantages of their Chinese R&D centre. “But also in China, the application of the AI system is pretty fast… People accept the concept of AI, accept the concept of [autonomous] driving, and also are willing to use it. So this gives us big room to keep iterating on the product.”Over half of all new cars sold in China are New Energy Vehicles (NEV), meaning that they are primarily or entirely powered by electricity. This April, that number rose above 60 percent. China isn’t the only country embracing EVs either, with global electric car sales rising by over 25 percent in 2024. Almost all new cars sold in Norway during 2025 were EVs, while regions such as Latin America and Africa saw EV adoption double. In comparison, U.S. EV uptake has slowed significantly over the past two years, although they still account for approximately 10 percent of new car sales in the country.“The new energy revolution is changing the world,” said Liu. “It’s not only happening in the U.S., not only in China, but also in other countries. South America, Central America, and even Europe, South Asia. So we will see the number keep increasing. And this can be very beneficial to the economy and also to the environment.”These aren’t the only advantages to widespread EV adoption. Liu also explained that NEVs have better compatibility with autonomous driving systems than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars.“The New Energy Vehicle is more suitable for intelligent car systems or smart driving because the control chain is shorter,” Liu said. “The signal is an electric signal instead of the power train using the gas.” Mashable Light Speed As such, it is far simpler to develop a fully autonomous EV than an ICE vehicle. If fully self-driving cars are to not only become a reality, but tech that is commonplace, it will require people —  and governments — to embrace electric cars first.Creating a safe self-driving car Autonomous driving systems are better suited to EVs than traditional combustion engine cars. Credit: XPENG Liu previously worked at U.S. self-driving car company Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors. When asked to compare development approaches in the U.S. and China’s autonomous car industries, he said he found them to be the same: with safety as paramount. “One underlying principle or philosophy that is not changing across different areas is safety,” said Liu. “That’s the first principle. No matter where you’re working at, no matter U.S., Europe, or China, or even Southeast Asia, the problem is the same.”Secondary to this is to ensure the car feels safe as well, offering a smooth, comfortable experience that drivers can enjoy with peace of mind. “We have four axes to evaluate our system. We call it CCES: comfort, compliance, efficiency, and safety,” said Liu. “So you can make sure the car is safe enough, but a lot of hard breaks [are] just not [comfortable].”For Liu, controlling the car’s speed is key to ensuring both safety and comfort. To deliver this, XPENG trains its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving model to identify and adjust to real-time road conditions, as well as recognise road marks and signs, rather than rely on map data to determine the car’s behaviour. “We don’t use any kind of rules or external information to say you have to drive this speed,” said Liu. “Of course, people can control the wheel, control the scroll to set up the speed limit [of the car]. The model tries to learn what kind of typical speed people will drive in this kind of situation, because we need to make sure the car is safe enough and also [isn’t] too slow.” Autonomous cars for the world (except the U.S.) Though VLA 2.0 is expected to hit the global market in 2027, XPENG hasn’t released any details about its international release schedule. At present, which country it will arrive in first will largely come down to whose regulations and standards XPENG can satisfy first.“We’re trying to work on different areas, different regions of the world, but we work with local governments to [ensure] we meet all the requirements,” said Liu.The U.S. may not be one of these regions, but being shut out of that market hasn’t slowed XPENG’s ambitions. The company is continuing to invest in R&D to ensure it can meet the different needs of new markets wherever they are. “We are seeing the trend [of increasing EV adoption] is changing the entire industry. All the cars selling now in China, if you don’t have the smart driving system, usually people will not consider it,” said Liu. “That’s why we keep pushing hard on the physical AI. Because we believe this is going to be the next big thing, and this is going to be invaluable in the next decade.”The auto industry is evolving at a rapid pace, with EV acceptance and adoption accelerating across the globe. XPENG is working to ensure they’re prepared for this future, and will be ready if the U.S. decides to join in.This interview has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.Disclosure: Mashable travelled to China as a guest of XPENG. Topics Self-Driving Cars Cars #XPENG #U.S #isnt #selling #cars #Heresxpeng p7,vla 2.0,autonomous driving,self-driving car,electric vehicle,china,mashable,amanda yeoh,self-parking,flying car,land aircraft carrier,us tariffs,automotive technology,evs

XPENG showed off the technology in its cars at the Beijing Auto Show. Credit: XPENG

This includes tapping into China’s resources as well. Like the San Francisco Bay Area, Liu stated that there’s an abundance of talent in China’s Greater Bay Area, including in Guangzhou where XPENG is headquartered. The widespread acceptance of EVs in China certainly helps autonomous car development in the region as well.

“We have people, we have freedom, we have flexibility to build the innovations,” said Liu, speaking on the advantages of their Chinese R&D centre. “But also in China, the application of the AI system is pretty fast… People accept the concept of AI, accept the concept of [autonomous] driving, and also are willing to use it. So this gives us big room to keep iterating on the product.”

Over half of all new cars sold in China are New Energy Vehicles (NEV), meaning that they are primarily or entirely powered by electricity. This April, that number rose above 60 percent. China isn’t the only country embracing EVs either, with global electric car sales rising by over 25 percent in 2024. Almost all new cars sold in Norway during 2025 were EVs, while regions such as Latin America and Africa saw EV adoption double. In comparison, U.S. EV uptake has slowed significantly over the past two years, although they still account for approximately 10 percent of new car sales in the country.

“The new energy revolution is changing the world,” said Liu. “It’s not only happening in the U.S., not only in China, but also in other countries. South America, Central America, and even Europe, South Asia. So we will see the number keep increasing. And this can be very beneficial to the economy and also to the environment.”

These aren’t the only advantages to widespread EV adoption. Liu also explained that NEVs have better compatibility with autonomous driving systems than traditional internal combustion engine (ICE) cars.

“The New Energy Vehicle is more suitable for intelligent car systems or smart driving because the control chain is shorter,” Liu said. “The signal is an electric signal instead of the power train using the gas.”

As such, it is far simpler to develop a fully autonomous EV than an ICE vehicle. If fully self-driving cars are to not only become a reality, but tech that is commonplace, it will require people —  and governments — to embrace electric cars first.

Creating a safe self-driving car

The internal workings of an XPENG car on display at the Beijing Auto Show.

Autonomous driving systems are better suited to EVs than traditional combustion engine cars. Credit: XPENG

Liu previously worked at U.S. self-driving car company Cruise, a subsidiary of General Motors. When asked to compare development approaches in the U.S. and China’s autonomous car industries, he said he found them to be the same: with safety as paramount. 

“One underlying principle or philosophy that is not changing across different areas is safety,” said Liu. “That’s the first principle. No matter where you’re working at, no matter U.S., Europe, or China, or even Southeast Asia, the problem is the same.”

Secondary to this is to ensure the car feels safe as well, offering a smooth, comfortable experience that drivers can enjoy with peace of mind. 

“We have four axes to evaluate our system. We call it CCES: comfort, compliance, efficiency, and safety,” said Liu. “So you can make sure the car is safe enough, but a lot of hard breaks [are] just not [comfortable].”

For Liu, controlling the car’s speed is key to ensuring both safety and comfort. To deliver this, XPENG trains its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving model to identify and adjust to real-time road conditions, as well as recognise road marks and signs, rather than rely on map data to determine the car’s behaviour.

“We don’t use any kind of rules or external information to say you have to drive this speed,” said Liu. “Of course, people can control the wheel, control the scroll to set up the speed limit [of the car]. The model tries to learn what kind of typical speed people will drive in this kind of situation, because we need to make sure the car is safe enough and also [isn’t] too slow.” 

Autonomous cars for the world (except the U.S.)

Though VLA 2.0 is expected to hit the global market in 2027, XPENG hasn’t released any details about its international release schedule. At present, which country it will arrive in first will largely come down to whose regulations and standards XPENG can satisfy first.

“We’re trying to work on different areas, different regions of the world, but we work with local governments to [ensure] we meet all the requirements,” said Liu.

The U.S. may not be one of these regions, but being shut out of that market hasn’t slowed XPENG’s ambitions. The company is continuing to invest in R&D to ensure it can meet the different needs of new markets wherever they are. 

“We are seeing the trend [of increasing EV adoption] is changing the entire industry. All the cars selling now in China, if you don’t have the smart driving system, usually people will not consider it,” said Liu. “That’s why we keep pushing hard on the physical AI. Because we believe this is going to be the next big thing, and this is going to be invaluable in the next decade.”

The auto industry is evolving at a rapid pace, with EV acceptance and adoption accelerating across the globe. XPENG is working to ensure they’re prepared for this future, and will be ready if the U.S. decides to join in.

This interview has been lightly edited for grammar and clarity.

Disclosure: Mashable travelled to China as a guest of XPENG.

Topics Self-Driving Cars Cars

#XPENG #U.S #isnt #selling #cars #Heresxpeng p7,vla 2.0,autonomous driving,self-driving car,electric vehicle,china,mashable,amanda yeoh,self-parking,flying car,land aircraft carrier,us tariffs,automotive technology,evs

EV manufacturer XPENG will begin the global rollout of its VLA 2.0 autonomous driving system…

revealed that the first customers of the company’s new R2 SUV will get their vehicles on June 9.

The automaker has spent the last few months ramping up its efforts to release the R2, which is more affordable and aimed at a larger market than its current R1 lineup. The new SUV will initially be available in a trim that starts just under $60,000, though Rivian has announced plans to release a “standard” version that starts at $48,490 in 2027.

The company has teased an even more affordable version “starting around $45,000” late next year — a price tag Rivian has promoted since the R2 reveal in 2024.

Rivian has high expectations for the R2. Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe has said it is “maybe the most important thing we’ve launched to date.” The company is betting on an extremely fast ramp-up, with as many as 25,000 vehicles delivered by the end of this year. Ultimately, Rivian hopes the R2 and its hatchback sibling, the R3, will help the company turn a profit for the first time since its founding in 2009.

#Rivian #deliver #SUVs #June #TechCrunchelectric vehicles,EVs,Rivian"> Rivian will deliver the first R2 SUVs on June 9 | TechCrunch Rivian has finally revealed that the first customers of the company’s new R2 SUV will get their vehicles on June 9. The automaker has spent the last few months ramping up its efforts to release the R2, which is more affordable and aimed at a larger market than its current R1 lineup. The new SUV will initially be available in a trim that starts just under ,000, though Rivian has announced plans to release a “standard” version that starts at ,490 in 2027. The company has teased an even more affordable version “starting around ,000” late next year — a price tag Rivian has promoted since the R2 reveal in 2024. Rivian has high expectations for the R2. Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe has said it is “maybe the most important thing we’ve launched to date.” The company is betting on an extremely fast ramp-up, with as many as 25,000 vehicles delivered by the end of this year. Ultimately, Rivian hopes the R2 and its hatchback sibling, the R3, will help the company turn a profit for the first time since its founding in 2009. #Rivian #deliver #SUVs #June #TechCrunchelectric vehicles,EVs,Rivian
Tech-news

revealed that the first customers of the company’s new R2 SUV will get their vehicles on June 9.

The automaker has spent the last few months ramping up its efforts to release the R2, which is more affordable and aimed at a larger market than its current R1 lineup. The new SUV will initially be available in a trim that starts just under $60,000, though Rivian has announced plans to release a “standard” version that starts at $48,490 in 2027.

The company has teased an even more affordable version “starting around $45,000” late next year — a price tag Rivian has promoted since the R2 reveal in 2024.

Rivian has high expectations for the R2. Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe has said it is “maybe the most important thing we’ve launched to date.” The company is betting on an extremely fast ramp-up, with as many as 25,000 vehicles delivered by the end of this year. Ultimately, Rivian hopes the R2 and its hatchback sibling, the R3, will help the company turn a profit for the first time since its founding in 2009.

#Rivian #deliver #SUVs #June #TechCrunchelectric vehicles,EVs,Rivian">Rivian will deliver the first R2 SUVs on June 9 | TechCrunch

Rivian has finally revealed that the first customers of the company’s new R2 SUV will get their vehicles on June 9.

The automaker has spent the last few months ramping up its efforts to release the R2, which is more affordable and aimed at a larger market than its current R1 lineup. The new SUV will initially be available in a trim that starts just under $60,000, though Rivian has announced plans to release a “standard” version that starts at $48,490 in 2027.

The company has teased an even more affordable version “starting around $45,000” late next year — a price tag Rivian has promoted since the R2 reveal in 2024.

Rivian has high expectations for the R2. Founder and CEO RJ Scaringe has said it is “maybe the most important thing we’ve launched to date.” The company is betting on an extremely fast ramp-up, with as many as 25,000 vehicles delivered by the end of this year. Ultimately, Rivian hopes the R2 and its hatchback sibling, the R3, will help the company turn a profit for the first time since its founding in 2009.

#Rivian #deliver #SUVs #June #TechCrunchelectric vehicles,EVs,Rivian

Rivian has finally revealed that the first customers of the company’s new R2 SUV will…

$400 million raise for his new venture Mind Robotics is an indicator, investors are still happily piling in.

Outsized raises for newly minted startups have become more common in recent years. But those hundred-million-plus seed rounds have generally been reserved for buzzy defense tech startups or AI companies founded by former OpenAI or Anthropic employees.

Those supersized seeds certainly weren’t flowing toward something as niche as an electric micromobility startup. And yet in 2025, Scaringe raised $105 million for exactly that — a startup called Also, which he founded that same year. The total has since surpassed $300 million, with DoorDash among its backers.

Jiten Behl, partner at Eclipse and former chief growth officer at Rivian, has spent years watching and learning from Scaringe. His firm is now one of Scaringe’s biggest backers, leading rounds in both Also and Mind Robotics — Scaringe’s industrial AI and robotics startup that he also founded last year.

Storytelling and communication are one of his superpowers, according to Behl, who joined Rivian when the company had just a handful of employees.

“When RJ explains a certain issue, topic, opportunity, vision, he just has this very unique ability to communicate it so effectively, and it comes across so credible,” Behl said. “He’s not trying to undersell the difficulty or oversell the opportunity, and that’s an art.”

Scaringe isn’t the only serial entrepreneur to repeatedly attract massive amounts of capital, but founders who can raise billions across multiple ventures remain rare. A self-professed car enthusiast who earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering from MIT, Scaringe joins a small cadre of entrepreneurs that includes Tesla CEO and SpaceX co-founder Elon Musk, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anduril and Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, and Jack Dorsey, who founded Square (now called Block) and Twitter.

The difference, at least in the view of some investors TechCrunch spoke to, is that he is able to separate selling the idea from selling himself. “He is very comfortable and confident in his own personality, and he’s not trying to be an Elon,” Behl said, noting that many have tried to make the comparison over the years.

“It’s not about him,” another insider familiar with Scaringe’s companies told TechCrunch. “When you talk to him, he has enthusiasm about the product that is completely external.”

Of course, there is confidence and even a little ego, the same source mused, but “it doesn’t weigh on you.” The source also added that Scaringe also has a unique ability to make you feel like the most special person in the room — a sentiment others echoed.

Giving that kind of undivided attention to an investor, supplier, or exec at a manufacturer is a challenge at the scale Scaringe is attempting. He is running three companies, often traveling between Palo Alto, Irvine, Rivian’s factory in Normal, Illinois, and a second factory soon to open in Georgia. And then there is family — Scaringe has three sons with his ex-wife.

Joe Fath, another partner at Eclipse, credits his open-mindedness and collaborative nature for helping him attract investment and juggle these connected, yet disparate businesses.

He noted that Scaringe also “has the rare combination of being a truly great engineer while also having an exceptional instinct for product design,” said Fath, who previously worked at a major Rivian backer T.Rowe Price. “Very few founders can operate at that level technically while also understanding what resonates emotionally with customers — both consumers and commercial buyers. That combination is incredibly uncommon and has clearly been part of what makes Rivian’s products, and now Also and Mind’s, so differentiated.”

The pace of Scaringe’s fundraising over the past eight years is particularly notable, and doesn’t seem to be slowing.

More than $11 billion, and by far the largest slice of VC and strategic capital, went into Rivian — most of it between 2018 and its blockbuster IPO in 2021. That’s a startling timeline especially considering the company, initially called Mainstream Motors, had existed since 2009. For years, Rivian operated as a small, unknown entity until its breakout moment in late 2018 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, when it revealed prototypes of its all-electric R1T truck and R1S SUV.

The money soon flowed, and from every direction. In early 2019 and just a couple of months after that reveal, Rivian raised a $700 million funding round led by Amazon. U.S. automaker Ford would invest $500 million and make plans to collaborate on a since-scrapped future EV program. Cox Automotive contributed $350 million. Rivian would close out the year with a $1.3 billion round — its fourth in 2019 — led by funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, with additional participation from Amazon, Ford, and funds managed by BlackRock.

In July 2020, Rivian raised $2.5 billion and another $2.65 billion six months later. As whispers of an IPO got louder, Rivian closed another $2.5 billion private funding round led by Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, D1 Capital Partners, Ford Motor and funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. Third Point, Fidelity Management and Research Company, Dragoneer Investment Group and Coatue also participated.

Then the IPO came. Rivian raised nearly $12 billion in gross proceeds after locking in $78 per share. Its market cap hit $100 billion when it debuted on Nasdaq in November 2021. Today, it stands at $18.2 billion today, a significant comedown that also reflects the broader struggles of the EV sector.

The ability to raise that much capital, despite those headwinds, is exceptional. But Scaringe didn’t stop with Rivian. If anything, the pace has accelerated. Also and Mind Robotics have together raised more than $1.3 billion so far, with Mind Robotics moving especially fast: $115 million in its first year, $500 million in March, and another $400 million just this week.

Rivian also continues to land notable backers through high-profile deals like the $5.8 billion joint venture with Volkswagen Group and a robotaxi partnership valued at up to $1.25 billion with Uber.

“Now, the big question is, how much can he do?” Behl said. “That’s a question [that] already assumes that he’s reaching his limit. The thing is, he doesn’t look at it that way. His perspective is that there is huge value to be created, there is huge impact to be created, and I just have to do it.”

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#Scaringe #raised #12B #startups #investors #TechCrunchalso,EVs,mind robotics,Rivian,RJ Scaringe"> RJ Scaringe has raised more than B across three startups and investors still want more | TechCrunch Investors can’t seem to get enough of RJ Scaringe or his ideas. In less than a decade, the serial entrepreneur best known for his EV company Rivian, has raised more than .3 billion from venture capital firms, as well as strategic and institutional investors for his three — and counting — startups. If the latest 0 million raise for his new venture Mind Robotics is an indicator, investors are still happily piling in. Outsized raises for newly minted startups have become more common in recent years. But those hundred-million-plus seed rounds have generally been reserved for buzzy defense tech startups or AI companies founded by former OpenAI or Anthropic employees. Those supersized seeds certainly weren’t flowing toward something as niche as an electric micromobility startup. And yet in 2025, Scaringe raised 5 million for exactly that — a startup called Also, which he founded that same year. The total has since surpassed 0 million, with DoorDash among its backers. Jiten Behl, partner at Eclipse and former chief growth officer at Rivian, has spent years watching and learning from Scaringe. His firm is now one of Scaringe’s biggest backers, leading rounds in both Also and Mind Robotics — Scaringe’s industrial AI and robotics startup that he also founded last year. Storytelling and communication are one of his superpowers, according to Behl, who joined Rivian when the company had just a handful of employees. “When RJ explains a certain issue, topic, opportunity, vision, he just has this very unique ability to communicate it so effectively, and it comes across so credible,” Behl said. “He’s not trying to undersell the difficulty or oversell the opportunity, and that’s an art.” Scaringe isn’t the only serial entrepreneur to repeatedly attract massive amounts of capital, but founders who can raise billions across multiple ventures remain rare. A self-professed car enthusiast who earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering from MIT, Scaringe joins a small cadre of entrepreneurs that includes Tesla CEO and SpaceX co-founder Elon Musk, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anduril and Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, and Jack Dorsey, who founded Square (now called Block) and Twitter. The difference, at least in the view of some investors TechCrunch spoke to, is that he is able to separate selling the idea from selling himself. “He is very comfortable and confident in his own personality, and he’s not trying to be an Elon,” Behl said, noting that many have tried to make the comparison over the years. “It’s not about him,” another insider familiar with Scaringe’s companies told TechCrunch. “When you talk to him, he has enthusiasm about the product that is completely external.” Of course, there is confidence and even a little ego, the same source mused, but “it doesn’t weigh on you.” The source also added that Scaringe also has a unique ability to make you feel like the most special person in the room — a sentiment others echoed. Giving that kind of undivided attention to an investor, supplier, or exec at a manufacturer is a challenge at the scale Scaringe is attempting. He is running three companies, often traveling between Palo Alto, Irvine, Rivian’s factory in Normal, Illinois, and a second factory soon to open in Georgia. And then there is family — Scaringe has three sons with his ex-wife. Joe Fath, another partner at Eclipse, credits his open-mindedness and collaborative nature for helping him attract investment and juggle these connected, yet disparate businesses. He noted that Scaringe also “has the rare combination of being a truly great engineer while also having an exceptional instinct for product design,” said Fath, who previously worked at a major Rivian backer T.Rowe Price. “Very few founders can operate at that level technically while also understanding what resonates emotionally with customers — both consumers and commercial buyers. That combination is incredibly uncommon and has clearly been part of what makes Rivian’s products, and now Also and Mind’s, so differentiated.” The pace of Scaringe’s fundraising over the past eight years is particularly notable, and doesn’t seem to be slowing. More than billion, and by far the largest slice of VC and strategic capital, went into Rivian — most of it between 2018 and its blockbuster IPO in 2021. That’s a startling timeline especially considering the company, initially called Mainstream Motors, had existed since 2009. For years, Rivian operated as a small, unknown entity until its breakout moment in late 2018 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, when it revealed prototypes of its all-electric R1T truck and R1S SUV. The money soon flowed, and from every direction. In early 2019 and just a couple of months after that reveal, Rivian raised a 0 million funding round led by Amazon. U.S. automaker Ford would invest 0 million and make plans to collaborate on a since-scrapped future EV program. Cox Automotive contributed 0 million. Rivian would close out the year with a .3 billion round — its fourth in 2019 — led by funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, with additional participation from Amazon, Ford, and funds managed by BlackRock. In July 2020, Rivian raised .5 billion and another .65 billion six months later. As whispers of an IPO got louder, Rivian closed another .5 billion private funding round led by Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, D1 Capital Partners, Ford Motor and funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. Third Point, Fidelity Management and Research Company, Dragoneer Investment Group and Coatue also participated. Then the IPO came. Rivian raised nearly billion in gross proceeds after locking in per share. Its market cap hit 0 billion when it debuted on Nasdaq in November 2021. Today, it stands at .2 billion today, a significant comedown that also reflects the broader struggles of the EV sector. The ability to raise that much capital, despite those headwinds, is exceptional. But Scaringe didn’t stop with Rivian. If anything, the pace has accelerated. Also and Mind Robotics have together raised more than .3 billion so far, with Mind Robotics moving especially fast: 5 million in its first year, 0 million in March, and another 0 million just this week. Rivian also continues to land notable backers through high-profile deals like the .8 billion joint venture with Volkswagen Group and a robotaxi partnership valued at up to .25 billion with Uber. “Now, the big question is, how much can he do?” Behl said. “That’s a question [that] already assumes that he’s reaching his limit. The thing is, he doesn’t look at it that way. His perspective is that there is huge value to be created, there is huge impact to be created, and I just have to do it.” When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.#Scaringe #raised #12B #startups #investors #TechCrunchalso,EVs,mind robotics,Rivian,RJ Scaringe
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$400 million raise for his new venture Mind Robotics is an indicator, investors are still happily piling in.

Outsized raises for newly minted startups have become more common in recent years. But those hundred-million-plus seed rounds have generally been reserved for buzzy defense tech startups or AI companies founded by former OpenAI or Anthropic employees.

Those supersized seeds certainly weren’t flowing toward something as niche as an electric micromobility startup. And yet in 2025, Scaringe raised $105 million for exactly that — a startup called Also, which he founded that same year. The total has since surpassed $300 million, with DoorDash among its backers.

Jiten Behl, partner at Eclipse and former chief growth officer at Rivian, has spent years watching and learning from Scaringe. His firm is now one of Scaringe’s biggest backers, leading rounds in both Also and Mind Robotics — Scaringe’s industrial AI and robotics startup that he also founded last year.

Storytelling and communication are one of his superpowers, according to Behl, who joined Rivian when the company had just a handful of employees.

“When RJ explains a certain issue, topic, opportunity, vision, he just has this very unique ability to communicate it so effectively, and it comes across so credible,” Behl said. “He’s not trying to undersell the difficulty or oversell the opportunity, and that’s an art.”

Scaringe isn’t the only serial entrepreneur to repeatedly attract massive amounts of capital, but founders who can raise billions across multiple ventures remain rare. A self-professed car enthusiast who earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering from MIT, Scaringe joins a small cadre of entrepreneurs that includes Tesla CEO and SpaceX co-founder Elon Musk, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anduril and Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, and Jack Dorsey, who founded Square (now called Block) and Twitter.

The difference, at least in the view of some investors TechCrunch spoke to, is that he is able to separate selling the idea from selling himself. “He is very comfortable and confident in his own personality, and he’s not trying to be an Elon,” Behl said, noting that many have tried to make the comparison over the years.

“It’s not about him,” another insider familiar with Scaringe’s companies told TechCrunch. “When you talk to him, he has enthusiasm about the product that is completely external.”

Of course, there is confidence and even a little ego, the same source mused, but “it doesn’t weigh on you.” The source also added that Scaringe also has a unique ability to make you feel like the most special person in the room — a sentiment others echoed.

Giving that kind of undivided attention to an investor, supplier, or exec at a manufacturer is a challenge at the scale Scaringe is attempting. He is running three companies, often traveling between Palo Alto, Irvine, Rivian’s factory in Normal, Illinois, and a second factory soon to open in Georgia. And then there is family — Scaringe has three sons with his ex-wife.

Joe Fath, another partner at Eclipse, credits his open-mindedness and collaborative nature for helping him attract investment and juggle these connected, yet disparate businesses.

He noted that Scaringe also “has the rare combination of being a truly great engineer while also having an exceptional instinct for product design,” said Fath, who previously worked at a major Rivian backer T.Rowe Price. “Very few founders can operate at that level technically while also understanding what resonates emotionally with customers — both consumers and commercial buyers. That combination is incredibly uncommon and has clearly been part of what makes Rivian’s products, and now Also and Mind’s, so differentiated.”

The pace of Scaringe’s fundraising over the past eight years is particularly notable, and doesn’t seem to be slowing.

More than $11 billion, and by far the largest slice of VC and strategic capital, went into Rivian — most of it between 2018 and its blockbuster IPO in 2021. That’s a startling timeline especially considering the company, initially called Mainstream Motors, had existed since 2009. For years, Rivian operated as a small, unknown entity until its breakout moment in late 2018 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, when it revealed prototypes of its all-electric R1T truck and R1S SUV.

The money soon flowed, and from every direction. In early 2019 and just a couple of months after that reveal, Rivian raised a $700 million funding round led by Amazon. U.S. automaker Ford would invest $500 million and make plans to collaborate on a since-scrapped future EV program. Cox Automotive contributed $350 million. Rivian would close out the year with a $1.3 billion round — its fourth in 2019 — led by funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, with additional participation from Amazon, Ford, and funds managed by BlackRock.

In July 2020, Rivian raised $2.5 billion and another $2.65 billion six months later. As whispers of an IPO got louder, Rivian closed another $2.5 billion private funding round led by Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, D1 Capital Partners, Ford Motor and funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. Third Point, Fidelity Management and Research Company, Dragoneer Investment Group and Coatue also participated.

Then the IPO came. Rivian raised nearly $12 billion in gross proceeds after locking in $78 per share. Its market cap hit $100 billion when it debuted on Nasdaq in November 2021. Today, it stands at $18.2 billion today, a significant comedown that also reflects the broader struggles of the EV sector.

The ability to raise that much capital, despite those headwinds, is exceptional. But Scaringe didn’t stop with Rivian. If anything, the pace has accelerated. Also and Mind Robotics have together raised more than $1.3 billion so far, with Mind Robotics moving especially fast: $115 million in its first year, $500 million in March, and another $400 million just this week.

Rivian also continues to land notable backers through high-profile deals like the $5.8 billion joint venture with Volkswagen Group and a robotaxi partnership valued at up to $1.25 billion with Uber.

“Now, the big question is, how much can he do?” Behl said. “That’s a question [that] already assumes that he’s reaching his limit. The thing is, he doesn’t look at it that way. His perspective is that there is huge value to be created, there is huge impact to be created, and I just have to do it.”

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Scaringe #raised #12B #startups #investors #TechCrunchalso,EVs,mind robotics,Rivian,RJ Scaringe">RJ Scaringe has raised more than $12B across three startups and investors still want more | TechCrunch

Investors can’t seem to get enough of RJ Scaringe or his ideas.

In less than a decade, the serial entrepreneur best known for his EV company Rivian, has raised more than $12.3 billion from venture capital firms, as well as strategic and institutional investors for his three — and counting — startups. If the latest $400 million raise for his new venture Mind Robotics is an indicator, investors are still happily piling in.

Outsized raises for newly minted startups have become more common in recent years. But those hundred-million-plus seed rounds have generally been reserved for buzzy defense tech startups or AI companies founded by former OpenAI or Anthropic employees.

Those supersized seeds certainly weren’t flowing toward something as niche as an electric micromobility startup. And yet in 2025, Scaringe raised $105 million for exactly that — a startup called Also, which he founded that same year. The total has since surpassed $300 million, with DoorDash among its backers.

Jiten Behl, partner at Eclipse and former chief growth officer at Rivian, has spent years watching and learning from Scaringe. His firm is now one of Scaringe’s biggest backers, leading rounds in both Also and Mind Robotics — Scaringe’s industrial AI and robotics startup that he also founded last year.

Storytelling and communication are one of his superpowers, according to Behl, who joined Rivian when the company had just a handful of employees.

“When RJ explains a certain issue, topic, opportunity, vision, he just has this very unique ability to communicate it so effectively, and it comes across so credible,” Behl said. “He’s not trying to undersell the difficulty or oversell the opportunity, and that’s an art.”

Scaringe isn’t the only serial entrepreneur to repeatedly attract massive amounts of capital, but founders who can raise billions across multiple ventures remain rare. A self-professed car enthusiast who earned his doctorate in mechanical engineering from MIT, Scaringe joins a small cadre of entrepreneurs that includes Tesla CEO and SpaceX co-founder Elon Musk, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anduril and Oculus founder Palmer Luckey, and Jack Dorsey, who founded Square (now called Block) and Twitter.

The difference, at least in the view of some investors TechCrunch spoke to, is that he is able to separate selling the idea from selling himself. “He is very comfortable and confident in his own personality, and he’s not trying to be an Elon,” Behl said, noting that many have tried to make the comparison over the years.

“It’s not about him,” another insider familiar with Scaringe’s companies told TechCrunch. “When you talk to him, he has enthusiasm about the product that is completely external.”

Of course, there is confidence and even a little ego, the same source mused, but “it doesn’t weigh on you.” The source also added that Scaringe also has a unique ability to make you feel like the most special person in the room — a sentiment others echoed.

Giving that kind of undivided attention to an investor, supplier, or exec at a manufacturer is a challenge at the scale Scaringe is attempting. He is running three companies, often traveling between Palo Alto, Irvine, Rivian’s factory in Normal, Illinois, and a second factory soon to open in Georgia. And then there is family — Scaringe has three sons with his ex-wife.

Joe Fath, another partner at Eclipse, credits his open-mindedness and collaborative nature for helping him attract investment and juggle these connected, yet disparate businesses.

He noted that Scaringe also “has the rare combination of being a truly great engineer while also having an exceptional instinct for product design,” said Fath, who previously worked at a major Rivian backer T.Rowe Price. “Very few founders can operate at that level technically while also understanding what resonates emotionally with customers — both consumers and commercial buyers. That combination is incredibly uncommon and has clearly been part of what makes Rivian’s products, and now Also and Mind’s, so differentiated.”

The pace of Scaringe’s fundraising over the past eight years is particularly notable, and doesn’t seem to be slowing.

More than $11 billion, and by far the largest slice of VC and strategic capital, went into Rivian — most of it between 2018 and its blockbuster IPO in 2021. That’s a startling timeline especially considering the company, initially called Mainstream Motors, had existed since 2009. For years, Rivian operated as a small, unknown entity until its breakout moment in late 2018 at the Los Angeles Auto Show, when it revealed prototypes of its all-electric R1T truck and R1S SUV.

The money soon flowed, and from every direction. In early 2019 and just a couple of months after that reveal, Rivian raised a $700 million funding round led by Amazon. U.S. automaker Ford would invest $500 million and make plans to collaborate on a since-scrapped future EV program. Cox Automotive contributed $350 million. Rivian would close out the year with a $1.3 billion round — its fourth in 2019 — led by funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates, with additional participation from Amazon, Ford, and funds managed by BlackRock.

In July 2020, Rivian raised $2.5 billion and another $2.65 billion six months later. As whispers of an IPO got louder, Rivian closed another $2.5 billion private funding round led by Amazon’s Climate Pledge Fund, D1 Capital Partners, Ford Motor and funds and accounts advised by T. Rowe Price Associates Inc. Third Point, Fidelity Management and Research Company, Dragoneer Investment Group and Coatue also participated.

Then the IPO came. Rivian raised nearly $12 billion in gross proceeds after locking in $78 per share. Its market cap hit $100 billion when it debuted on Nasdaq in November 2021. Today, it stands at $18.2 billion today, a significant comedown that also reflects the broader struggles of the EV sector.

The ability to raise that much capital, despite those headwinds, is exceptional. But Scaringe didn’t stop with Rivian. If anything, the pace has accelerated. Also and Mind Robotics have together raised more than $1.3 billion so far, with Mind Robotics moving especially fast: $115 million in its first year, $500 million in March, and another $400 million just this week.

Rivian also continues to land notable backers through high-profile deals like the $5.8 billion joint venture with Volkswagen Group and a robotaxi partnership valued at up to $1.25 billion with Uber.

“Now, the big question is, how much can he do?” Behl said. “That’s a question [that] already assumes that he’s reaching his limit. The thing is, he doesn’t look at it that way. His perspective is that there is huge value to be created, there is huge impact to be created, and I just have to do it.”

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Scaringe #raised #12B #startups #investors #TechCrunchalso,EVs,mind robotics,Rivian,RJ Scaringe

Investors can’t seem to get enough of RJ Scaringe or his ideas. In less than…

cut 5% of its workforce, and three months after it closed a $425 million funding round that boosted the battery recycling company’s valuation to north of $6 billion, as TechCrunch previously reported.

It’s been a difficult time in the battery industry lately. Earlier this month, battery recycler Ascend Elements filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing “insurmountable” financial challenges. Some battery-makers have also restructured or gone out of business as the automotive industry in the U.S. has backed away from its most optimistic and ambitious plans to transition to electric vehicles.

But Redwood Materials founder and CEO JB Straubel told employees that this new round of cuts is not a sign that the company is heading down the same path.

“Redwood today is the strongest it’s ever been,” Straubel wrote in an email to the workers who weren’t laid off, according to a copy viewed by TechCrunch. “The materials business is well on its way to profitability and has an exciting roadmap ahead.”

Straubel noted that Redwood “continue[s] to dominate the US battery recycling market” but also touted the company’s “great momentum” in its new energy storage business. Redwood has recently announced deals with Crusoe AI and, most recently, electric automaker Rivian to provide recycled batteries that can be used to power those companies’ facilities. The company declined to comment beyond the contents of Straubel’s email.

In his message, Straubel wrote that “parts of the company have expanded faster than needed to support the direction” of Redwood. As a result, he said Redwood is making cuts across multiple divisions, including the engineering and operations organizations, according to an employee who was granted anonymity to discuss the layoffs.

Techcrunch event

San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026

“We are confident that we can deliver on our critical projects with a smaller team that is more focused,” he wrote. “We have successfully adapted to changes in the market that have bankrupted many of our competitors.”

Straubel went on to write that he is “more excited than ever with our path ahead as we build the most integrated and cost-effective critical materials and energy storage business in the world.”

“This is a self-sustaining business and will continue to make this company more valuable over time. We have the team and the technology to do what no other company can,” he wrote.

Workers who were laid off were told by Redwood’s chief HR officer that the layoffs were made “to sharpen our focus, our work and the size of our teams to support the direction Redwood is going in the future,” according to a copy of her email, which was viewed by TechCrunch.

Employees who were laid off are receiving severance and paid health benefits, according to Straubel’s email, as well as “career transition assistance.”

“I am grateful to the approximately 135 employees who we say goodbye to today — they’ve all contributed to building Redwood,” he wrote.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Exclusive #Redwood #Materials #lays #restructuring #chase #energy #storage #business #TechCrunchBatteries,battery recycling,electric vehicles,EVs,Exclusive,Redwood Materials"> Exclusive: Redwood Materials lays off 10% in restructuring to chase energy storage business | TechCrunch Redwood Materials has laid off around 135 employees, or roughly 10% of its workforce, as it restructures to better accommodate its growing energy storage business, TechCrunch has learned. The cuts come just five months after Redwood cut 5% of its workforce, and three months after it closed a 5 million funding round that boosted the battery recycling company’s valuation to north of billion, as TechCrunch previously reported. It’s been a difficult time in the battery industry lately. Earlier this month, battery recycler Ascend Elements filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing “insurmountable” financial challenges. Some battery-makers have also restructured or gone out of business as the automotive industry in the U.S. has backed away from its most optimistic and ambitious plans to transition to electric vehicles. But Redwood Materials founder and CEO JB Straubel told employees that this new round of cuts is not a sign that the company is heading down the same path. “Redwood today is the strongest it’s ever been,” Straubel wrote in an email to the workers who weren’t laid off, according to a copy viewed by TechCrunch. “The materials business is well on its way to profitability and has an exciting roadmap ahead.” Straubel noted that Redwood “continue[s] to dominate the US battery recycling market” but also touted the company’s “great momentum” in its new energy storage business. Redwood has recently announced deals with Crusoe AI and, most recently, electric automaker Rivian to provide recycled batteries that can be used to power those companies’ facilities. The company declined to comment beyond the contents of Straubel’s email. In his message, Straubel wrote that “parts of the company have expanded faster than needed to support the direction” of Redwood. As a result, he said Redwood is making cuts across multiple divisions, including the engineering and operations organizations, according to an employee who was granted anonymity to discuss the layoffs. Techcrunch event San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026 “We are confident that we can deliver on our critical projects with a smaller team that is more focused,” he wrote. “We have successfully adapted to changes in the market that have bankrupted many of our competitors.” Straubel went on to write that he is “more excited than ever with our path ahead as we build the most integrated and cost-effective critical materials and energy storage business in the world.” “This is a self-sustaining business and will continue to make this company more valuable over time. We have the team and the technology to do what no other company can,” he wrote. Workers who were laid off were told by Redwood’s chief HR officer that the layoffs were made “to sharpen our focus, our work and the size of our teams to support the direction Redwood is going in the future,” according to a copy of her email, which was viewed by TechCrunch. Employees who were laid off are receiving severance and paid health benefits, according to Straubel’s email, as well as “career transition assistance.” “I am grateful to the approximately 135 employees who we say goodbye to today — they’ve all contributed to building Redwood,” he wrote. When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.#Exclusive #Redwood #Materials #lays #restructuring #chase #energy #storage #business #TechCrunchBatteries,battery recycling,electric vehicles,EVs,Exclusive,Redwood Materials
Tech-news

cut 5% of its workforce, and three months after it closed a $425 million funding round that boosted the battery recycling company’s valuation to north of $6 billion, as TechCrunch previously reported.

It’s been a difficult time in the battery industry lately. Earlier this month, battery recycler Ascend Elements filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing “insurmountable” financial challenges. Some battery-makers have also restructured or gone out of business as the automotive industry in the U.S. has backed away from its most optimistic and ambitious plans to transition to electric vehicles.

But Redwood Materials founder and CEO JB Straubel told employees that this new round of cuts is not a sign that the company is heading down the same path.

“Redwood today is the strongest it’s ever been,” Straubel wrote in an email to the workers who weren’t laid off, according to a copy viewed by TechCrunch. “The materials business is well on its way to profitability and has an exciting roadmap ahead.”

Straubel noted that Redwood “continue[s] to dominate the US battery recycling market” but also touted the company’s “great momentum” in its new energy storage business. Redwood has recently announced deals with Crusoe AI and, most recently, electric automaker Rivian to provide recycled batteries that can be used to power those companies’ facilities. The company declined to comment beyond the contents of Straubel’s email.

In his message, Straubel wrote that “parts of the company have expanded faster than needed to support the direction” of Redwood. As a result, he said Redwood is making cuts across multiple divisions, including the engineering and operations organizations, according to an employee who was granted anonymity to discuss the layoffs.

Techcrunch event

San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026

“We are confident that we can deliver on our critical projects with a smaller team that is more focused,” he wrote. “We have successfully adapted to changes in the market that have bankrupted many of our competitors.”

Straubel went on to write that he is “more excited than ever with our path ahead as we build the most integrated and cost-effective critical materials and energy storage business in the world.”

“This is a self-sustaining business and will continue to make this company more valuable over time. We have the team and the technology to do what no other company can,” he wrote.

Workers who were laid off were told by Redwood’s chief HR officer that the layoffs were made “to sharpen our focus, our work and the size of our teams to support the direction Redwood is going in the future,” according to a copy of her email, which was viewed by TechCrunch.

Employees who were laid off are receiving severance and paid health benefits, according to Straubel’s email, as well as “career transition assistance.”

“I am grateful to the approximately 135 employees who we say goodbye to today — they’ve all contributed to building Redwood,” he wrote.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Exclusive #Redwood #Materials #lays #restructuring #chase #energy #storage #business #TechCrunchBatteries,battery recycling,electric vehicles,EVs,Exclusive,Redwood Materials">Exclusive: Redwood Materials lays off 10% in restructuring to chase energy storage business | TechCrunch

Redwood Materials has laid off around 135 employees, or roughly 10% of its workforce, as it restructures to better accommodate its growing energy storage business, TechCrunch has learned.

The cuts come just five months after Redwood cut 5% of its workforce, and three months after it closed a $425 million funding round that boosted the battery recycling company’s valuation to north of $6 billion, as TechCrunch previously reported.

It’s been a difficult time in the battery industry lately. Earlier this month, battery recycler Ascend Elements filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, citing “insurmountable” financial challenges. Some battery-makers have also restructured or gone out of business as the automotive industry in the U.S. has backed away from its most optimistic and ambitious plans to transition to electric vehicles.

But Redwood Materials founder and CEO JB Straubel told employees that this new round of cuts is not a sign that the company is heading down the same path.

“Redwood today is the strongest it’s ever been,” Straubel wrote in an email to the workers who weren’t laid off, according to a copy viewed by TechCrunch. “The materials business is well on its way to profitability and has an exciting roadmap ahead.”

Straubel noted that Redwood “continue[s] to dominate the US battery recycling market” but also touted the company’s “great momentum” in its new energy storage business. Redwood has recently announced deals with Crusoe AI and, most recently, electric automaker Rivian to provide recycled batteries that can be used to power those companies’ facilities. The company declined to comment beyond the contents of Straubel’s email.

In his message, Straubel wrote that “parts of the company have expanded faster than needed to support the direction” of Redwood. As a result, he said Redwood is making cuts across multiple divisions, including the engineering and operations organizations, according to an employee who was granted anonymity to discuss the layoffs.

Techcrunch event

San Francisco, CA | October 13-15, 2026

“We are confident that we can deliver on our critical projects with a smaller team that is more focused,” he wrote. “We have successfully adapted to changes in the market that have bankrupted many of our competitors.”

Straubel went on to write that he is “more excited than ever with our path ahead as we build the most integrated and cost-effective critical materials and energy storage business in the world.”

“This is a self-sustaining business and will continue to make this company more valuable over time. We have the team and the technology to do what no other company can,” he wrote.

Workers who were laid off were told by Redwood’s chief HR officer that the layoffs were made “to sharpen our focus, our work and the size of our teams to support the direction Redwood is going in the future,” according to a copy of her email, which was viewed by TechCrunch.

Employees who were laid off are receiving severance and paid health benefits, according to Straubel’s email, as well as “career transition assistance.”

“I am grateful to the approximately 135 employees who we say goodbye to today — they’ve all contributed to building Redwood,” he wrote.

When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.

#Exclusive #Redwood #Materials #lays #restructuring #chase #energy #storage #business #TechCrunchBatteries,battery recycling,electric vehicles,EVs,Exclusive,Redwood Materials

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