The Upside Roundup, 5 Things I Like, November 6
Flying Taxis, Tesla Tequila and a Record Setting Electric Motorcycle
It's been an exhausting week for us all, with the Presidential Election taking day(s) to finally get settled. It speaks to the extremely outdated form of polling that takes place in this country. With that and the resurgence of the coronavirus across the nation, I'm going to refrain from any stories on those topics on this week's roundup and promote some more optimistic and uplifting stories as you head into the weekend. Enjoy!
A Munich-based startup is targeting Orlando looking to build a 56,000 square foot transportation hub for an electric flying taxi. The city has been actively seeking to roll out new programs to advance internet connectivity, autonomous vehicles, and now flying taxis. The Lilium Jet will be able to seat four passengers along with the pilot and hit a top speed of 186 miles per hour. The facility will require a $25 million investment with the company looking to secure tax breaks from the city, according to a council meeting agenda that is planned for Monday. The hub will be a "vertiport" with a takeoff and landing area that resembles heliports. The company has already secured partnerships with two German airports and will be the first of its kind in the United States. The company plans to have the air taxis ready to use by 2025. The concept of a flying taxi isn't new, as there are at least 15 currently in development.
2. Opportunity Lies in Things That Don’t Make Sense
The world doesn't make much sense right now, but David Perell argues that we should lean into uncertainty because that is where the gold mine is. We often dismiss things that are complex, but those bits of confusion are where true learning opportunities lie. It offers a chance to shift our paradigms that are more in line with reality. Reality is stranger than fiction, but the world always makes sense. If you don't understand something, there's probably something you haven't accounted for. By updating your model and incorporating the contradicting piece of information, you will be at a competitive advantage. When billionaire investor Sam Zell noticed that Starbucks was opening coffee shops in Mongolia, he wondered why, as the country predominantly drinks tea. When he investigated further, he found meaningful information about the future of the Chinese economy. The next time the world does the opposite of what you think it's going to do, take more time to understand why.
3. Coming Soon: Austin's Transportation Revolution
Through a new transit plan called Project Connect, the city of Austin is investing over $7 billion in revitalizing the city's infrastructure shift away from driving. People in the city spend over 100 hours stuck in car traffic each year, but with the new plan, the residents of Austin will have many more options that will bring the number down significantly. According to Mayor Steve Adler, the primary factors driving this change are congestion, climate, and mobility equity. The rail system will feature 31 stations and millions will be put into new bike lanes, sidewalks, and a pedestrian bridge. The plan expects to take 250,000 daily car trips off the streets to help bring the number of people driving to work down from its current level of 75% to 50% by 2039. By the time the plan is implemented, most of the affordable housing units will be walking distance from a rail station.
4. Electric Motorcycle Sets 11 World Records
The Voxan Wattman electric motorcycle set 11 world records this weekend, including going 254 miles per hour, anchored by six-time motorcycle racing world champion Max Biaggi. After trying and failing to set the land speed record on the Bolivian salt flats in the summer, the team was able to succeed in its quest at the Chateauroux airfield in France. The motor on the bike is four times more powerful than leading competitors, like the Harvey-Davidson LiveWire, and is cooled by dry ice. In order to achieve the speed record, Voxan made major changes to its Wattman bike, installing a 367-horsepower motor and drag-reducing faring. The team at Voxan is still committed to testing the electric motorcycle at the salt flats in the future and will continue pushing to set new records through the end of 2022.
5. Musk's April Fool's Day Prank Becomes Reality
Yesterday Tesla launched its brand of Tequila, called Tesla Tequila, which costs $250 and comes packaged in a lightning-shaped bottle. The idea was initially conceived as an April Fool's joke in 2018, but after pushback from the Tequila Regulatory Council in Mexico, Elon Musk was able to make the hoax a reality. Described as a small-batch premium 100% de agave tequila anejo, it is made from sustainably sourced highland and lowland agaves. Tequilas have strict requirements in order to be classified as such. Among other rules, they must be manufactured in one of five Mexican states and Musk's new brand is using California-based Nosotros Tequila to produce the product. The company sources its blue agave from Jalisco and has been aged for 15 months. The tequila sold out on its first day.