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Rivian spinoff also plans to build autonomous delivery vehicles for DoorDash. By March 31, 2026 No Comments 3 Mins Read Also, a micromobility company founded within Rivian and spun out last year, will work with DoorDash to develop self-driving delivery vehicles, the companies announced Tuesday. As part of the deal, DoorDash participated in Also's $200 million Series C funding round led by previous investor Greenoaks Capital. DoorDash also has a seat on Also's board of directors. This raise brings Alsoo's total funding to $505 million and a valuation of more than $1 billion. The startup took off with a $105 million investment from Eclipse. Eclipse is also backed by Mind Robotics, an external industrial AI company that Rivian founded late last year. This also began in 2022 as an internal Skunk Works project at Rivian. As first reported by TechCrunch last year, the EV maker initially set out to make electric bikes and also worked with Jony Ive's design company LoveFrom. And while the company's first product is a high-end, funky-looking electric bike, it's also showing off designs for smaller, pedal-assisted delivery vehicles. Amazon, a major investor and partner in Rivian, ordered thousands of these delivery vehicles late last year. It also says it can carry more than 400 pounds while being small enough to fit in bike lanes. The deal with DoorDash marks the first time that Also will develop self-driving versions of small electric vehicles. Rivian founder RJ Scaringe and CEO Chris Yu told TechCrunch last year that almost any form factor was on the table, within practical limits. Rivian and Ars said micromobility startups not only leverage automakers' technology in their products, but also leverage their retail presence and economies of scale. It's also unclear whether it will take advantage of the autonomy technology Rivian is working on. tech crunch event San Francisco, California | October 13-15, 2026 Rivian currently plans to use a combination of cameras, ultrasonic sensors, radar, and eventually LIDAR to bring autonomy to its vehicles. And late last year, Rivian revealed it had developed its own custom silicon and autonomous computers to further enhance the self-driving capabilities of its vehicles. Scaringe has already hinted that Mind Robotics will use this chip, so it's possible that Also will use it as well. TechCrunch has reached out to both Rivian and Also and will update this article if they respond. DoorDash may handle self-driving technology. The company has its own autonomous division and has spent several years developing a robotic vehicle called Dot that is equipped with lidar, radar and camera sensors and can autonomously navigate roads, bike lanes and sidewalks. The brightly colored, cartoon-eyed vehicles can travel up to 20 miles per hour and make deliveries in the metro Phoenix area.

Also, an electric bike and transportation startup spun out of Rivian Automotive, has raised $200 million in a funding round that values the company at $1 billion. The Palo Alto-based firm also announced a partnership with DoorDash to develop autonomous deliveries. The financing was led by existing investor Greenoaks Capital, with participation from Prysm and DoorDash. The deal marks a significant milestone for Also as it expands beyond electric bikes into broader transportation solutions. The DoorDash partnership will focus on autonomous delivery technology, leveraging Also's expertise in electric mobility.

A Rivian-backed startup developing small electric vehicles was valued at $1 billion in a new investment from Greenoaks Capital, according to people familiar with the matter.