conv.

All stories
BusinessQuiet 8d · day 8

Rivian spinoff Also abandons Kenya e-moto pilot to chase autonomous delivery bet

Chris Yu says Also walked away from a Shell Foundation-backed Kenya motorcycle project to focus on autonomy and its delayed TM-B e-bike ramp.

newest coverage 7d agosummary written 7d ago6 pieces3 likes & upvotes3 comments NewswiresMastodonBluesky

What to know

  • Also quietly piloted and then abandoned a Shell Foundation-backed electric motorcycle project in Kenya to focus resources on autonomous vehicle development with DoorDash.
  • The TM-B e-bike, Also's first consumer product, faced repeated delivery delays through 2026 due to supply chain shortages, partly from competing with AI server demand for the same components.
  • Also has now begun shipping early Launch Edition TM-B bikes after a rocky first year as an independent company spun off from Rivian in 2025.
  • Shell Foundation removed references to the Kenya project from its website and both it and Also declined to detail why the project ended, citing an NDA.

“intended to generate evidence on driver income uplift potential, operational performance and commercial viability to deepen the company's understanding of the market opportunity”

Shell Foundation, Grant funder · TechCrunch ↗ · Nov 2

Chris Yu Also co-founder and presidentRivian Minority shareholder, parent that spun off AlsoShell Foundation Grant funder for the Kenya e-moto pilotDoorDash Autonomous vehicle partner

Rivian spinoff Also abandons Kenya e-moto pilot to chase autonomous delivery bet
techcrunch.com

How it unfolded 2 developments, newest first · click a bar or a number to jump articlesposts

Peak 5 pieces in two hours at Nov 3, 10 AM; 6 pieces over 8 days (2 articles · 4 posts) Nov 3, 6 AM — 1 piece · 1 article — Newswires 1Nov 3, 8 AM — quietNov 3, 10 AM — 5 pieces · 1 article · 4 posts — Mastodon 3, Bluesky 1, Newswires 1Nov 3, 12 PM — quietNov 3, 2 PM — quietNov 3, 4 PM — quietNov 3, 6 PM — quietNov 3, 8 PM — quietNov 3, 10 PM — quietNov 4, 12 AM — quietNov 4, 2 AM — quietNov 4, 4 AM — quietNov 4, 6 AM — quietNov 4, 8 AM — quietNov 4, 10 AM — quietNov 4, 12 PM — quietNov 4, 2 PM — quietNov 4, 4 PM — quietNov 4, 6 PM — quietNov 4, 8 PM — quietNov 4, 10 PM — quietNov 5, 12 AM — quietNov 5, 2 AM — quietNov 5, 4 AM — quietNov 5, 6 AM — quietNov 5, 8 AM — quietNov 5, 10 AM — quietNov 5, 12 PM — quietNov 5, 2 PM — quietNov 5, 4 PM — quietNov 5, 6 PM — quietNov 5, 8 PM — quietNov 5, 10 PM — quietNov 6, 12 AM — quietNov 6, 2 AM — quietNov 6, 4 AM — quietNov 6, 6 AM — quietNov 6, 8 AM — quietNov 6, 10 AM — quietNov 6, 12 PM — quietNov 6, 2 PM — quietNov 6, 4 PM — quietNov 6, 6 PM — quietNov 6, 8 PM — quietNov 6, 10 PM — quietNov 7, 12 AM — quietNov 7, 2 AM — quietNov 7, 4 AM — quietNov 7, 6 AM — quietNov 7, 8 AM — quietNov 7, 10 AM — quietNov 7, 12 PM — quietNov 7, 2 PM — quietNov 7, 4 PM — quietNov 7, 6 PM — quietNov 7, 8 PM — quietNov 7, 10 PM — quietNov 8, 12 AM — quietNov 8, 2 AM — quietNov 8, 4 AM — quietNov 8, 6 AM — quietNov 8, 8 AM — quietNov 8, 10 AM — quietNov 8, 12 PM — quietNov 8, 2 PM — quietNov 8, 4 PM — quietNov 8, 6 PM — quietNov 8, 8 PM — quietNov 8, 10 PM — quietNov 9, 12 AM — quietNov 9, 2 AM — quietNov 9, 4 AM — quietNov 9, 6 AM — quietNov 9, 8 AM — quietNov 9, 10 AM — quietNov 9, 12 PM — quietNov 9, 2 PM — quietNov 9, 4 PM — quietNov 9, 6 PM — quietNov 9, 8 PM — quietNov 9, 10 PM — quietYesterday, 12 AM — quietYesterday, 2 AM — quietYesterday, 4 AM — quietYesterday, 6 AM — quietYesterday, 8 AM — quietYesterday, 10 AM — quietYesterday, 12 PM — quietYesterday, 2 PM — quietYesterday, 4 PM — quietYesterday, 6 PM — quietYesterday, 8 PM — quietYesterday, 10 PM — quietToday, 12 AM — quietToday, 2 AM — quietToday, 4 AM — quiet 1–2
Nov 4Nov 5Nov 6Nov 7Nov 8Nov 9yesterdaynow · 5:43 AM ET
  1. 2

    TechCrunch reveals Also's abandoned Kenya e-moto project

    TechCrunch reports Also quietly started and then walked away from the Kenya electric two-wheeler pilot, based on deleted Shell Foundation website language and company and foundation statements.

    “enable and de-risk global OEM entry into Africa's EV market by piloting a locally integrated electric two-wheeler platform in Kenya, with potential to scale across East Africa…”
    — Shell Foundation

    1. 1 outlet first by TechCrunch, 7d ago · read ↗

    • okane.fyi

      Scoop: Rivian's micromobility spinoff, Also, was quietly working on an electric motorcycle project in Kenya before backing away earlier this year. Co-founder / president Chris Yu told me backstage at Disrupt that he wanted to prioritize the startup's work on AVs

      okane.fyiBluesky7d ago2▲view on Bluesky ↗
    1 more of the top 2 · 2 posts in this stretch
    • TechCrunch@mstdn.social

      Also co-founder and president Chris Yu told TechCrunch that he wanted to prioritize autonomous vehicles. https:// techcrunch.com/2026/11/03/rivi an-spinout-also-owns-up-to-mistakes-in-delayed-e-bike-launch/?utm_source=dlvr.it&utm_medium=mastodon

      TechCrunch@mstdn.socialMastodon7d ago1▲view on Mastodon ↗
    all of them →
  2. 1

    Also begins shipping delayed Launch Edition e-bikes

    The Verge reports Also is finally shipping early Launch Edition TM-B bikes to customers while preparing standard and performance versions, with Yu detailing the production ramp and parts shortages in an interview.

    “We've been in the trenches competing with AI server demands for components like ICs, compute, memory, and raw PCBA [printed circuit board assembly] materials.”
    — Chris Yu, Also co-founder and president · source
  3. background

    Yu discusses Kenya pivot at TechCrunch Disrupt — At TechCrunch Disrupt, Chris Yu said the Kenya pilot made sense given Also's mission but that other priorities, especially autonomy, took precedence.

  4. background

    Also walks away from the Kenya pilot to prioritize autonomy — After completing only early-stage work, Also decided to focus on its core roadmap and shelved the Kenya project, redirecting attention to small autonomous vehicles developed with DoorDash.

  5. background

    Also pilots Shell Foundation-backed e-moto project in Kenya — Also began work on an electric two-wheeler pilot in Kenya funded by a Shell Foundation grant, aimed at developing a purpose-built electric motorcycle for African riders and derisking OEM entry into Africa's EV market.

  6. background

    Supply chain crunch delays Also's TM-B e-bike — Also repeatedly delayed deliveries of its premium TM-B e-bike through 2026 after competing with AI server demand for components like ICs, compute, memory, and PCBA materials, frustrating reservation holders amid company silence.

  7. background

    Rivian spins off micromobility unit as Also — Rivian quietly spun off its micromobility brand into an independent startup, Also, led by Chris Yu, with Rivian retaining a minority stake.

What people are saying 0 voices from 0 sites · best of 2 · verbatim