Hey Snackers,
The perfect opportunity to put your Khaleesi costume back on again has come: HBO just teased a fiery new “Game of Thrones” prequel series, set to release next year.
Stocks posted a comeback yesterday, with all three major indices turning positive following news that Congress might reach a deal to raise its borrowing limit and prevent a default.
Putting the EV in rEVolution… General Motors kicked off a two-day investor event yesterday by outlining bold plans to double annual revenue to $280B by 2030. GM says all its cars will be electric by 2035, and its eHummer goes on sale this fall. But EVs are only the start: GM says growth will come from services, like its fleet of Chevy Bolt autonomous EV taxis.
Your robotaxi has arrived… And it’s powered by GM. Cruise — an AV startup majority-owned by GM that counts Honda, Walmart, Microsoft, and Softbank as investors — is key to GM’s software-centric strategy. Here’s why:
Tech-enabled mobility platforms > car companies... even EV car companies. Tesla is worth 10X GM — even though it delivered 10X fewer cars last year — because investors value Tesla like a tech company, not like a carmaker. Now GM’s gunning for its own sky-high tech valuation by investing big bucks to take Tesla’s crown as America’s EV giant. But since that could take years, GM is also tapping revenue streams Tesla hasn’t touched, like robotaxis and driverless delivery services.
Greener nav bar… Google unveiled several new eco-friendly features to help its 1B+ users make more sustainable lifestyle choices. They launch first in the US but will expand to Europe next year. The suite:
Big user base = big responsibility… Google reaches more than 10% of the Earth’s population through its enormous range of hardware products (Pixel phones, robotaxis) and digital tools (Chrome, Android, Google TV). But its wide reach comes at a jolting cost:
A “nudge” in the sustainable direction… may be a key strategy for consumer companies facing pressure to go green. The gist of the “nudge theory” in behavioral research is that encouraging individuals to take an action is more effective than eliminating all other options. It’s why Google is suggesting sustainable options instead of picking them for you. Now that most people are seeking more eco-friendly lifestyle options, nudges could be the way that companies get their customers to go green.
Authors of this Snacks own shares of: Google and Apple
ID: 1866023