Food trucks in the U.S. have taken many forms, but have long been a popular option for dining. Now as the coronavirus pandemic alters the way we interact and engage with others, these kitchens on wheels may have a new function, especially on college campuses.
Rod Keller, CEO of the electric vehicle manufacturer AYRO is jumping at the opportunity to capitalize on the niche industry in a partnership with Gallery Carts. The new collaboration will combine AYRO's expertise in developing electric vehicles with Gallery's expertise in creating food delivery vehicles.
"Colleges are faced with, 'Well how do we provide food and beverage while at the same time, avoiding the mass crowds that you would typically see inside of a cafeteria?'" Keller told Cheddar.
So far, more than $500,000 has been poured into the collaboration as orders for the vehicles continue to amass. Keller said he's confident that as universities and other large campuses seek safer ways to feed their communities amid the pandemic, the need for their services will grow.
AYRO is also banking on buyers in higher education considering the long-term savings electric vehicles can provide. Keller said its electric vehicles save fleet operators at least 50 percent on fuel and energy costs.
"When people are moving cargo from one side of a university to another, or business campus, or hotel and resort, you don't need a full-sized truck with 400 miles of range running on gasoline to do that," Keller said.
Electric scooter company Spin is teaming up exclusively with ride-hailing business Lyft to provide scooter rentals in cities across the country, beginning with Nashville. Spin CEO Ben Bear joined Cheddar News to talk about the rollout and detail how Lyft users will be able to access Spin scooters. "It's a completely native integration, and we think reducing that friction it's just gonna be key to getting more people out of personal cars and onto bikes and scooters across the country."
Users can now call for a traditional cab on the Uber app in New York City. The company that started out looking to disrupt yellow cabs and car services is now hoping to be a host for all taxi services globally in the future.
Nouveau Monde Graphite says it wants to power the sustainable energy revolution. The Canadian company is developing carbon-neutral battery materials to serve the growing EV and cleantech markets and is doing so via a mining and manufacturing operation in Quebec. Eric Desaulniers, founder, president & CEO of Nouveau Monde Graphite, joins Cheddar News' Closing Bell to discuss.
Stocks closed near session lows Wednesday as investors showed concerns about rising oil prices, supply shortages, and renewed risk of inflation. While investors began the week on a confident note, today's jump in oil prices has them once again worried that inflation will not go away any time soon. John Traynor, Chief Investment Officer at People's United Advisors, joins Closing Bell to discuss today's market close, the Federal Reserve's comments and actions taken to combat inflation, and more.
John Logan, Director of Labor and Employment Studies at San Francisco State University, joined Cheddar News to discuss the growing unionization push by employees at Starbucks and Amazon, and the wider implications of employee organization at these big companies.
Adidas is now the first major sports brand to create a program for paying college athletes. The new "name, image and likeness" network will allow more than 50,000 students across NCAA Division 1 schools to become paid spokespeople for the brand. Thilo Kunkel, Associate Professor and Director of Sport Industry Research Center at Temple University, tells us why this new program is only the beginning of an exciting time for student athletes.
