🔋 Alexa Goes Electric

Plus an interesting Alexa article from the New York Times...

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📰 Good afternoon and Happy Thursday! Did anyone see the New York Times' latest piece on Alexa? In case you missed it, it's an interesting read: “Alexa, why do we keep buying you?”

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Alexa Goes Electric

“Find Me a Charger”

At the Consumer Electronics Show (CES), Amazon announced a strategic partnership between Alexa and the electric vehicle charging company, EVGo.

Through this partnership, Alexa will be able to access EVGo’s data to navigate EV drivers to the nearest charging station. If the driver decides to use an EVGo charging station then Alexa will also be able to help them pay at the pump. This announcement goes hand-in-hand with Amazon’s initiative to get Alexa into more cars.

A Fragmented Industry

By this point, most legacy automakers have committed to pumping out electric vehicles. However, automakers are ramping up so quickly that the EV charging network required to fuel these vehicles is struggling to keep up.

When looking at the national level, electric vehicle charging is still highly fragmented. There are many different charging companies all offering slightly different charging services across the country. Additionally, not every station is compatible with every vehicle, so drivers have to be careful when choosing which stations they fill up at.

On top of that, EV charging is not quite as simple as pulling into the nearest gas station and filling it up.

When searching for a plug, EV owners need to factor in things like a station’s charging speed, plug type, payment options, and compatibility. This is on top of calculating their vehicle's remaining range and using a number of different apps to find the closest charging station.

EVGo Partnership

This is where Alexa comes in. By partnering with EVGo, Amazon wants to use Alexa’s artificial intelligence to help make the process of finding and paying for EV charging more convenient.

With over 850 fast charging stations across 60 major US cities, EVGo has one of the most expansive charging networks in the country, behind only Electrify America and Tesla. EVGO claims that approximately 140 million Americans live within 10 miles of an EVGo charger. However, it’s got plans to triple in size over the coming years.

This means that the EVGo and Alexa partnership is coming at a perfect time. Starting as early as this year, Alexa will be able to easily navigate EV drivers to the closest EV station that fits their needs.

Just like the EV industry itself, you can expect Alexa’s ability to source charging stations to continue growing in the coming years.

The Pillow for Side Sleepers

The ideal sleeping position is on the side, but without the proper support, a good morning is not in the forecast. With an adjustable design, the Marlow Pillow adapts to give side sleepers the support they need. It's made with a proprietary fill of memory foam and polyester fiber made using NASA technology and a unique zippered design for easy adjustability, allowing users to find the exact loft profile that fits them.

At the same time, cooling-infused memory foam and ventilated zipper gussets help create better airflow and regulate your body temperature, so you stay cool during the night, while its antimicrobial shell repels unwelcomed guests like dust mites and bacteria.

The pillow has been perfected over eight years with numerous research, surveys, and prototypes, but to ensure satisfaction, it's also backed by Brooklinen's best-in-class customer service and a risk-free warranty.