06 Aug Automobility EXCELerate Pipeline – Edition #49

We are very pleased to share the 49th Edition of Automobility’s EXCELerate pipeline. As always, we are continually scanning the global mobility technology landscape to curate excellent investment opportunities that we believe offer differentiated solutions which fit our “Internet of Mobility” (IoM) and Energy Transition theses.

Automobility’s Internet of Mobility (IoM) Core Investment Thesis

Our core thesis centers on the emergence of a new 21st-century business model we call the Internet of Mobility (IoM)—a paradigm rooted in a distributed, cloud-based architecture and anchored by the Intelligent Connected Vehicle (ICV). The IoM accelerates technology commercialization by tapping into the vast scale of the mobile internet. A software-defined, networked, and cloud-enabled ICV architecture is key to unlocking these growth opportunities.

For a deeper dive into our IoM thesis, see our article: “The Third Wave of Disruption: Autonomous Mobility on Demand.”

Auto Tech Accelerates: 3 Domains Shaping the Future

At Auto Shanghai 2025, we observed a major strategic pivot: the future of automaking is being redefined by three tech domains—batteries, core electronics, and autonomous driving (AD).

Chinese OEMs are rapidly consolidating capabilities across these pillars. Battery innovation now spans beyond range to fast charging, thermal control, and solid-state tech. Core electronics—the vehicle’s “nervous system”—are increasingly developed in-house, from ECUs to infotainment. And while L2+ ADAS is becoming standard, the real race is toward scalable, real-world L3/L4 autonomy powered by AI and fleet data.

The winners? Those who scale fast and control the stack. BYD and Huawei stand out by vertically integrating R&D and manufacturing.

Auto Shanghai 2025: How China is Rewriting the Rules of the Global Automotive Game

Featured in EXCELerate Pipeline 49

This 49th edition now features 28 companies on our EXCELerate “Menu”, of which 9 are part of our Energy Transition portfolio. These companies have met our evaluation criteria which ranks each startup across a range of metrics. The charts below show the regional and Internet of Mobility [IoM] stack coverage of these startups.

2 startups have been upgraded to our portfolio list of startups of interest:

• TOWER is a fleet management platform offering accessible, electric shared mobility solutions
• THERMOS is a provider of thermal management solutions for batteries, powertrain, electric-vehicle charging infrastructure

We would be happy to arrange an introduction to any of the companies in our pipeline.

AUTOMOBILITY PODCAST

We’re excited to announce the launch of AUTO INSIDER — a new podcast platform from Automobility, created through ongoing dialogue with thought leaders and changemakers at the forefront of the mobility revolution. Hosted by our Founder & CEO, Bill Russo, AUTO INSIDER brings you straight into the conversation with the visionaries shaping the future of how we move. This series was born from our commitment to not just observe the industry’s transformation, but to engage with it directly — and now, to share those insights with you.

Link to Episode #2：Xiaozhi Liu on The Butterfly Effect: China Reshapes the World

Link to Episode #1：Jack Cheng on Smart EVs and the Smart Tier 0.5 Supply Chain

You can stream the Auto Insider podcast on your favorite platform—and don’t forget to like, follow, and subscribe to stay updated on future episodes!

RELEASE DATE:  July 8, 2025