In a week filled with significant developments in the mobility space, Tesla is set to benefit from President Trump's decision to impose 25% tariffs on all cars imported to the United States, including those from Mexico and Canada. The tariffs, which also apply to certain car parts, are expected to increase the cost of new and used cars, but will likely give Tesla, the company run by Trump's ally Elon Musk, a competitive edge.

The news comes as Tesla's CEO, Elon Musk, has been in the spotlight recently, with a new report from TechCrunch shedding light on the founders and VCs working with the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE), an entity established via President Trump's executive order. Musk's close relationship with Trump has raised eyebrows, particularly given the President's decision to pardon Trevor Milton, the founder of bankrupt hydrogen trucking startup Nikola, who was convicted of fraud.

In other news, Lucid, the electric vehicle manufacturer, is reportedly eyeing partnerships to reach higher levels of autonomy, particularly with its new Gravity SUV. The company may be looking to partner with Mobileye or other automated driving technology providers to achieve its goals.

The mobility space has seen a flurry of funding activity, with several startups raising significant rounds. BetterFleet, a Michigan-based company that developed EV charging fleet management software, raised $15 million in a Series A funding round led by Aligned Climate Capital, Ecosystem Integrity Fund (EIF), and Remarkable Ventures Climate (RVC). DeCharge, an EV charging infrastructure startup, raised $2.5 million in a round led by Lemniscap, while Fleetio, a vehicle fleet software management company, raised $450 million in a round co-led by Elephant VC and Goldman Sachs Alternatives.

Other notable deals include The Bot Company, a robotics startup founded by former Cruise co-founder and CEO Kyle Vogt, which raised $150 million in a round led by Greenoaks, and Manna, a Dublin-based drone delivery company, which raised $30 million in a round led by Tapestry VC and Molten Ventures.

In autonomous vehicle news, Waymo will begin offering robotaxi rides in Washington, D.C., via the Waymo One app in 2026, but the company will need to up its lobbying game in the capital, where autonomous vehicle permits still require a human behind the wheel. Meanwhile, Rivian, the electric vehicle manufacturer, has spun out a startup focused on electric micromobility, known as Also, with $105 million in funding from Eclipse Ventures.

Finally, in a significant development for the tech industry, TechCrunch was acquired by private investment firm Regent, with Yahoo Holdings maintaining a small share of ownership. The acquisition comes just a few days after Regent bought Foundry, the publisher home to tech publications like PCWorld, Macworld, InfoWorld, and CIO.

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