Tesla's Robotaxi reveal, Palantir owns some of Faraday Future, and the Strava for EVs

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility — your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. Sign up here for free — just click TechCrunch Mobility!

Your usual host Kirsten is out on vacation, but she didn’t leave without writing up This Week’s Wheels. But for the rest, you've got me, Rebecca Bellan, to guide you through the mobility news of this week.

And what a week it’s been — and not just because of the Tesla Robotaxi event on Thursday. Although I will be liveblogging that, fueled with plenty of coffee to keep me up past my bedtime since it starts at *checks X* 7 p.m. PT.  And knowing Elon, it’ll probably start late.

Here’s how to watch it, by the way.

The big question on everyone’s minds, or at least ours, is whether Tesla will actually reveal a full product roadmap for its Robotaxi (or Cybercab), complete with commercialization plans, or whether this will be all smoke and mirrors. Because after all, the reveal is taking place at a Hollywood studio.

Musk has been hyping up the Robotaxi, and Tesla’s almost-autonomous capabilities, for years. Now that it’s showtime, investors who are attracted by the billionaire’s vision to drive Tesla’s valuation to $5 trillion, up from the $750 billion valuation today, will want to see an actual vehicle in action and learn how fast Tesla can mass-produce it at a profit. (Reminder: Musk had previously said Tesla would be mass-producing robotaxis by 2024 …)

We’re also interested in whether whatever mass-produced vehicle Tesla lands on for the Robotaxi will be built without steering wheels or pedals, something that could delay production due to federal safety regulations that require a way for humans to take over. No doubt a hurdle that Tesla might use as a reason for delaying its Robotaxi rollout.

A little bird

blinky cat bird green
Image Credits:Bryce Durbin

Got a tip for us? Email Kirsten Korosec at kirsten.korosec@techcrunch.com, Sean O'Kane at sean.okane@techcrunch.com or Rebecca Bellan at rebecca.bellan@techcrunch.com. Or check out these instructions to learn how to contact us via encrypted messaging apps or SecureDrop.

Deals!

money the station
Image Credits:Bryce Durbin

Just one deal today.

Lithios raised $10 million in seed funding to recover valuable minerals, namely lithium, locked in water from reservoirs deep underground. The startup is one of many trying to feed the growing need for lithium batteries, even though EV purchases have slowed down. Clean Energy Ventures led the round, with participation from GS Futures, Lowercarbon Capital, and others.

Notable reads and other tidbits

ADAS

Kirsten got the scoop that General Motors is working on an automated driving system that not only lets you take your hands off the wheel, but also your eyes off the road! If GM pulls this off, it would put the automaker ahead of almost every other ADAS on the market today. Yes, even Tesla’s FSD.