Hustler Words – A significant investment of $31 million in Series A funding has been secured by Ever, an innovative startup poised to redefine the electric vehicle (EV) retail landscape. Leading this substantial round is Eclipse, with additional backing from Ibex Investors, Lifeline Ventures, and JIMCO – the investment arm of the Saudi Arabian Jameel family, notably an early supporter of Rivian. Ever positions itself as the pioneering "AI-native, full-stack auto retail business" specifically for electric vehicles, already facilitating thousands of transactions for EV buyers and sellers on its platform.
The current paradigm for buying or selling a used EV often involves navigating a fragmented and complex process. While companies like Carvana and Carmax digitized car sales over the past decade, and numerous startups have attempted to integrate AI with superficial tools like voice agents or scheduling software, Eclipse’s Jiten Behl argues this approach falls short of true modernization.
"These bolt-on AI tools are merely temporary fixes," Behl stated in a recent interview with Hustler Words. He drew a parallel to the initial wave of EVs from traditional automakers, which often involved retrofitting combustion vehicle platforms rather than designing electric vehicles from the ground up, a strategy that led to compromises compared to the holistic designs seen from companies like Tesla and Rivian. Behl emphasized that the automotive retail sector, characterized by its intricate processes, labor intensity, and rule-based operations, presents an ideal opportunity for AI-driven disruption.
Lasse-Mathias Nyberg, Ever’s co-founder and CEO, elaborated on the inherent inefficiencies. He noted that a single car transaction can trigger "hundreds or thousands of distinct actions" for a retailer, creating "massive complexities or frictions" for both parties involved. To address this, Nyberg and his team spent a year developing a digital-first auto retailer, launched in 2022. Their core innovation is an "orchestration layer" or "operating system" that seamlessly manages all transactional workflows, from processing buyer/seller information to inventory management.
Nyberg highlighted the fragmented nature of existing solutions. "When you handle appraisals, pricing, or titling, the steps are deterministic. Yet, most companies currently piece together various single-point tools inefficiently," he explained. Ever’s "clean-sheet" approach, leveraging "agentic AI," aims to unify the customer experience by eliminating these micro-frictions. This integrated system has already boosted Ever’s sales team productivity by two to three times, a gain expected to scale further, translating into enhanced margins or more competitive pricing for customers.
Ever’s strategy embraces a hybrid model, combining its robust online marketplace with physical locations. Nyberg believes this dual approach is crucial, acknowledging that many buyers, especially those new to EVs, still value the opportunity to see and test-drive a vehicle in person.
While early feedback on Ever’s service has been mixed, Nyberg attributes some of this to the company’s nascent stage and stealth operations. He assures that the team is actively refining its system for maximum flexibility and responsiveness. Despite a recent cooling in overall EV interest in the United States, Ever remains steadfast in its focus on electric vehicles, recognizing the absence of a dedicated, full-stack retailer in this niche. Nyberg hasn’t ruled out expanding to used combustion cars in the distant future but prioritizes the EV market for now.
Jiten Behl, with his eight years on Rivian’s leadership team, confessed to being a "hopeless romantic when it comes to EVs," firmly believing in the inherent advantages of electric propulsion. He recalled his initial thought during Ever’s due diligence: "I wish Rivian was doing this." Behl sees immense potential for Ever, noting that even established digital players like Carvana still command only single-digit market share in automotive retail. He concluded that consumers will inevitably gravitate towards superior car-buying experiences, which means a digitally-led journey that removes all friction from the transaction process.
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