Welcome back to the Friday Five, your weekly roundup of the EV world. This week, we’re looking to the highest ends of electric technology, looking at the scooter sharing market, and even taking our first stab at celebrity gossip (sort of). Dive in!
Royal EV
If you’ve read a newspaper in the last few months, you may have heard about the most recent English royal wedding between Prince Harry and Meghan Markle. What you may have missed is the particular Jaguar E-Type the newlyweds drove off in. This particular classic roadster has had an electric powertrain retrofitted, showing the world that classic style and modern technology are a marriage that we should care about too.
What’s Possible?
While massive scale electric vehicle technology may eat up the headlines, it’s important to sometimes take a look up to check out what’s possible at the highest end of the EV spectrum. Enter Rimac, a Croatian startup that this year unveiled a 1900 horsepower electric hypercar and supplies technology and components a range of OEMs from Mercedes to Koenigsegg.
Scooter Sharing Heating Up
The big players in the shared transportation industry (Uber, Lyft, Google, etc.) along with some of the world’s leading VC firms are buying up electric scooter sharing companies like hot cakes but at caviar prices. It’s the age of the e-scooter!
Chargers Galore
As part of its plan to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 80% come 2050, the UK is considering mandating that all new houses and buildings have EV charging ports. The old myth of chargers being less convenient than gas stations is getting more ridiculous by the day.
Unlock Your City: Monaco
As the glamourous hub of the Riviera and the host of Formula 1’s most iconic gran prix, Monaco is houses some of the most incredible vehicles in the world. It’s also known for its seemingly constant gridlock traffic. Maybe drivers are too busy soaking in the views of the Medeterranian. Either way, if you ever find yourself in Monte Carlo, we at NIU think a scooter is the way to go if you want to explore the hills of this European jewel.
