The all-electric Ford Explorer has had a tough time of it. Back in 2022, WIRED was invited to a secret look at the Europe-only, all-electric Explorer which the company had been working on for some time. In March of 2023, the wraps were finally taken off, and it was announced that the US might get a version of the midsize crossover too, such was the enthusiastic response of dealers stateside to the winning design. A brand-new factory was opened in Germany in June 2023, the Cologne EV Center, Ford's dedicated 'home of a new generation of electric vehicles.' Then, just two months later, it was announced that the sale of the Explorer EV was to be delayed until summer 2024'not ideal when the pace of advancement in EVs these days is rampant, with tech being superseded so quickly that residual values of electric cars are disastrous. By the time Ford's EV Explorer eventually hit the roads in 2024 perhaps its biggest threat, the Kia EV3, was no longer on the horizon but just about to arrive. In July, Ford Europe plowed on with the reveal of the Capri, a 'relaunch' of the classic 1960s car that is remembered fondly for being Europe's version of the original Mustang. If fact it was exactly the same car as the Explorer, just with a different exterior design. It seemed half-hearted, somehow, especially as both the Capri and Explorer sit on Volkswagen Group's MEB platform'the result of a technology-sharing deal that apparently shaved two years off Ford's development time....

Struggling electric van startup Canoo has placed its remaining employees on what it's calling a 'mandatory unpaid break' through at least the end of the year, according to an email obtained by TechCrunch. The email comes just a few days after the company announced it was furloughing nearly 100 employees and idling an assembly facility in Oklahoma due to lack of funding. It's unclear how many remained following those cuts. The company and CEO Tony Aquila did not immediately respond to a request for comment. Canoo is rounding out a rough year. It recently closed the Los Angeles office that used to serve as its headquarters. It has lost a lot of executives, including its chief technology officer, chief financial officer, and general counsel. The company reported in mid-November that it had just $700,000 in the bank....

Welcome back to TechCrunch Mobility ' your central hub for news and insights on the future of transportation. This will be the last newsletter of 2024! But don't worry, we'll be back in 2025 ' sign up here to get it in your inbox every week. Thank you for reading and your emails. I love to get them. Happy holidays and have a Happy New Year. I didn't meet Jean Jennings until long after she had cemented her status as an automotive journalism icon. By then, Jennings (formerly Lindamood) had been editor of Car and Driver and had helped found Automobile Magazine ' where she would eventually become editor-in-chief ' and launched a website called Jean Knows Cars. Jennings died December 16 at age 70 after living with Alzheimer's disease. To say she was well known in the industry is an understatement. To give you an idea of her impact, Ford CEO Jim Farley and Chairman Bill Ford issued an official statement on her death, and Stellantis designer Ralph Gilles and many, many others in the industry have posted their own memorials to Jean on social media....

A week after Hurricane Sandy flooded New York City's streets and subways in 2012, the city's schools were back in business. But schools in rural North Carolina did not reopen until almost a month after Hurricane Helene roared through in late September 2024. While natural disasters and health crises may have long-lasting effects on any school system, in rural areas the lack of physical, financial and organizational resources is amplified when disaster strikes. Unlike urban areas, rural districts often have little access to the recreation centers, cultural institutions, university campuses and other structures that could provide temporary sites for classes after a disaster. Rural areas also have greater distances between homes, fewer buildings that can be used for temporary schooling, and deteriorating infrastructure. Educational resources are often insufficient, transportation is difficult, and many areas lack access to broadband. In many rural communities, students rely on school buses to get to and from school. When natural disasters damage roads or disrupt transportation networks, students may be unable to attend school in person for extended periods....