Amazon.com Inc. tycoon Jeff Bezos reportedly told employees at an all-hands staff meeting earlier this year that he’s fascinated by the recent developments in the auto industry.
That was one of the main reasons why Amazon led the $700 million investment in U.S. electric pickup truck startup Rivian Automotive LLC in February, CNBC quoted Bezos as saying.
“If you think about the auto industry right now, there’s so many things going on with Uber-ization, electrification, the connected car — so it’s a fascinating industry,” Bezos said according to a recording of the meeting CNBC reported that it heard.
“It’s going to be something very interesting to watch and participate in, and I’m very excited about that whole industry.”
Amazon's Rivian deal represents a major endorsement of the startup's electric vehicle technology by the world’s largest online retailer, Reuters reported.
Amazon is hoping Rivian will assist it in its development of delivery vehicles that will bolster its logistics network, a person familiar with the matter told Reuters earlier this year. The person asked not to be identified discussing the confidential strategy, Reuters explained.
Rivian could ultimately be valued at between $3 billion and $4 billion, Reuters reported earlier this year. Rivian aspires to be the first to produce a mass market electric pickup. It intends to begin selling its R1T by the end of 2020.
Earlier this month, Bezos vowed that he's going to send a spaceship to the moon, joining a resurgence of lunar interest half a century after people first set foot there, the Associated Press reported.
Bezos said his space company Blue Origin will land a robotic ship the size of a small house, capable of carrying four rovers and using a newly designed rocket engine and souped-up rockets. It would be followed by a version that could bring people to the moon along the same timeframe as NASA's proposed 2024 return.
Bezos, who was dwarfed by his mock-up of the Blue Moon vehicle at his presentation, said, "This is an incredible vehicle and it's going to the moon."
He added: "It's time to go back to the moon. This time to stay."
Newsmax wire services the Associated Press, Bloomberg and Reuters contributed to this report.
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