Time is money.

That’s the reality for commercial fleet operators, whose success depends on their ability to efficiently run the delivery routes that ensure store shelves are stocked. The looming prospect of electrification of the heavy-duty vehicle sector complicates this proposition; charging an electric semi takes longer than fueling up with diesel. And electric batteries add weight to vehicles that are subject to payload restrictions.

Enter Revoy, a California-based startup CEO Ian Rust founded in 2021 based on a simple premise: What if the calculus of going electric didn’t have to be so complicated?

Revoy’s tech is a twist on a technology that’s a familiar concept within the EV sector: battery swapping. The idea? Avoid lengthy charging times, battery degradation, and power grid strains by simply giving drivers the option to swap one battery for another when they’re low on power. Revoy’s take on that is to offer a swappable solution for semis.

Revoy recently debuted what it describes as an “electric dolly” that can integrate with semi trucks and then be swapped out for fully charged ones. The product can essentially turn a diesel-powered semi into a hybrid vehicle, or it can serve as a range extender for an electric semi.

Here’s how it works: Revoy’s add-ons are charged and ready to go at stations along long-haul routes. Drivers stop and attach the product between the tractor and trailer, a process that Rust says takes less than five minutes. Drivers can then get back on the road and drive on electric power; Revoy claims their product enables three to five time gains in fuel efficiency. Drivers can then stop at the next station and swap out the electric product for a fully charged one.

“What’s really important is that it’s completely seamless,” Rust told Tech Brew. “There’s no modifications needed whatsoever to the diesel truck itself. Someone could have heard about it five minutes ago, and they can hook it up and instantly hit the road and run on drastically less diesel and way lower emissions.”

Keep reading here.—JG

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In the latest sign that the EV transition isn’t exactly going smoothly, Ford said last week that it’s delaying some of its upcoming EV launches and doubling down on hybrids.

Then, shock waves rippled across Wall Street when Reuters reported that Tesla was shelving its much-anticipated $25,000 EV, which was slated to debut next year.

What’s going on here?

“Manufacturers over-anticipated the conversion to EVs and under-anticipated the competition from every other manufacturer,” Sam Fiorani, VP of global vehicle forecasting at AutoForecast Solutions, told Tech Brew. “There are just far too many EVs available on the market for the demand that exists.”

Keep reading here.—JG

If you feel like your home internet service is getting more expensive, you’re not alone.

According to a US News & World Report survey released April 2, the average monthly broadband bill is $89, compared with an average initial cost of $77 a month.

The results of the late-2023 survey, which queried “2,500 Americans about their internet bill costs over time, their internet service reliability, and how satisfied they are with the internet service they get for their money,” showed that broadband costs are trending upward.

“Not surprisingly, the cost of internet service—like that of many other basic expenses, including groceries and utilities—has been rising, and the price users pay tends to increase over time,” the report said.

Keep reading here.—KG

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