Mobility Monitor

Week ending: 2026-04-10

Electric Vehicles

• Tesla develops new smaller, cheaper EV after canceling Model 2 - Tesla is reportedly working on a new compact SUV following the cancellation of the Model 2, though the company has denied the reports. Electrek | The Verge

• VW halts US ID.4 production to focus on gas-powered Atlas - Volkswagen is ending ID.4 production in Tennessee to build the 18mpg Atlas SUV as gas prices spike, despite having inventory "into 2027." Electrek | Ars Technica

• Used EV sales hit record highs - Used EV sales spiked in Q1 2026 alongside rising gas prices, with analysts predicting a much bigger wave is coming. Electrek | Ars Technica

• Nio unveils ES9, China's largest electric SUV - Nio launched the ES9 with pre-sales starting at $77,200, featuring 600-meter headlights paired with ADAS. CICC raised Nio's target price 23% following the announcement. EV Blog | EV Blog

• Hyundai unveils two new IONIQ EV concepts - Hyundai revealed an electric sedan and family SUV concept, with details emerging ahead of the official debut. Electrek

• Honda bringing EV hot hatch overseas for under $27,000 - Honda's "funky, cute" EV hot hatch will debut this month at an accessible price point. Electrek

• Royal Enfield launches first electric motorcycle - The company revealed pricing and "ridiculous" specs for its first electric motorcycle entry. Electrek

• BYD teams up with fast food giant for 9-minute EV charging - BYD is partnering with a major fast food chain to offer ultra-fast charging, while orders surge to "another level" overseas amid the energy crisis. Electrek

• Rivian R2 EPA numbers revealed - The R2 will launch with 335 miles of range, 217 kW DC charging, and a heat pump. The company appointed an R2 general assembly lead ahead of production. Electrek | Ars Technica

• Lucid faces persistent problems - Lucid's software and service issues continue despite months of promised fixes, while shares hit an all-time low, down 98.4% from 2021 peak. The company delivered first Gravity EVs in Europe and launched mobile service units. EV Blog | EV Blog

• Tesla adds fifth battery supplier amid margin pressure - Tesla added China's Sunwoda as its fifth global EV battery supplier amid cost pressures. Electrek

• 76-charger EV truck hub opens - A 9 MW charging hub with 76 chargers opened where US freight actually runs, addressing commercial EV infrastructure gaps. Electrek

• US won't ease rules blocking Chinese EVs - The trade representative confirmed the US will not relax regulations blocking Chinese EVs. Eight EU countries still offer no EV incentives in 2026 as the bloc targets 25% BEV share. EV Blog

Autonomous Vehicles

• Waymo opens Nashville service, partners with Lyft - Waymo launched robotaxi service in Nashville and announced a partnership with Lyft. The company is also tracking potholes with its fleet and sharing data with Waze users. TechCrunch | TechCrunch

• UK backs 8 autonomous mobility projects - The government is supporting eight projects to drive the UK's autonomous mobility sector. MoveMnt

• Robotaxi remote intervention data remains secret - Companies won't disclose how often remote operators intervene, prompting a "stunning lack of transparency" criticism. The Verge

• NHTSA closes Tesla Smart Summon investigation - The safety agency closed its probe into Tesla's Actually Smart Summon feature after 159 incidents involving 2.6 million vehicles. Electrek | MoveMnt

• Self-driving car kills mother duck in Texas - An Avride self-driving car in Austin hit and killed a mother duck, sparking neighborhood outrage. TechCrunch

• VW begins testing self-driving microbuses in LA - Volkswagen started testing its autonomous ID Buzz microbuses in Los Angeles ahead of an Uber partnership launch. TechCrunch

AI/Automation

• AI transforms rental car pricing - Auto Rental News examines how AI is reforming rental pricing and rates. Auto Rental News

• Marriott's AI enhances staff in India - Marriott's Indian AI push focuses on enhancing staff capabilities rather than replacing workers. Skift

• Minor Hotels builds AI stack for personalization - The hotel group is constructing its AI infrastructure from scratch to improve guest personalization. Skift

• Grab launches AI-powered travel tools - Southeast Asian superapp Grab introduced AI features for journey planning. Phocuswire | Skift

• Almosafer adds ChatGPT travel planning - The Saudi OTA integrated ChatGPT into its app for AI-powered travel planning. Phocuswire

• AI pulls travel brands deeper into commerce media - Travel companies are increasingly integrating AI into their commerce and advertising strategies. Phocuswire

• Meta launches proprietary AI model Muse Spark - Meta's first new model since forming Superintelligence Labs marks a shift from open-source Llama. Venturebeat | Wired

• AI agents are coming for car salesmen - Dealerships are exploring AI to handle customer interactions, which industry observers say "makes perfect sense." The Drive

• Oshkosh ground support robots target air travel costs - Automated ground support equipment aims to reduce airline operational expenses. Electrek

Airline Industry

• Delta's oil refinery gamble pays off with $300M boost - The airline's controversial 2012 investment in an oil refinery is delivering significant returns amid fuel price surges. Skift

• Airlines pass fuel costs to travelers - Delta and other carriers are raising bag fees and adding fuel surcharges as oil prices spike. Skift | Skift

• Airlines plan more premium tiers - As carriers capitalize on premium customers, they're planning additional fare tier segmentation. United launched tiered fares for premium seats. CX Dive | Skift

• Delta CEO: Premium customers "immune" to disruption - The airline chief says high-value travelers remain resilient despite economic challenges, though fuel crisis may spur structural industry changes. CX Dive | Skift

• Airline CEO exodus continues - Turkish Airlines brought on new chairman and CEO, marking the third major airline executive departure in a month. Air India's CEO exit was also confirmed. Skift | Skift

• British Airways to allow in-flight calls with Starlink - The controversial decision to permit phone calls during flights has sparked passenger concerns. Skift

• AirAsia X raises fares up to 40% - The carrier increased prices amid Iran war impact but kept jobs and Bahrain expansion plans intact. Skift

• American Airlines risks falling behind in aircraft arms race - The carrier may be losing ground to competitors in fleet modernization. Skift

Rental Car Industry

• AutoUnion named to FT1000 fastest-growing companies - The rental car company earned recognition on the Financial Times' prestigious list. Auto Rental News

• Surprice opens two branches in Japan - The rental company expanded its Japanese operations with new locations. Auto Rental News

• Sixt partners with ECOS in India - Sixt announced a new partnership with one of India's leading mobility and hospitality companies. Sixt LinkedIn

Rideshare Industry

• Hopper takes over Canadian bank deal from Expedia - The travel tech company secured a B2B partnership with RBC, replacing Expedia. Skift

• Uber's electrification featured in Stanford curriculum - The company's emissions reduction journey is now part of Stanford GSB's business school teaching. Uber for Business LinkedIn

Customer Experience

• Future of loyalty is personalized, not universal - Industry analysis shows loyalty programs must shift from one-size-fits-all to individualized perks. CX Dive

• Points-based loyalty programs aren't cutting it - Paytronix's 2026 report reveals customers demand innovation beyond