This week’s episode of the Ride AI podcast is a mind-meld between automotive analyst Ed Niedermeyer and tech-innovation scholar Horace Dediu about why the car industry is ripe for disruption. Their conversation is a reflection on the transformative power of past innovations like computers and phones, and the need to imagine a better future for mobility.  Together they discuss:  The concept of unbundling the car for different trip types and purposes, similar to computing devices Observation that the world seeks to improve cars, but they are already highly optimized Critique of c ..read more

For the inaugural episode of the new Ride AI podcast, author and analyst Ed Niedermeyer discusses the hype and disillusionment surrounding several new mobility technologies—namely autonomous vehicles—with Mike Ramsey, a vice president at Gartner. Ramsey explains the five parts of a hype cycle, including the innovation trigger and the trough of disillusionment, and provides historical analysis for where he believes autonomy is today on the road to mass adoption. Ed and Mike discuss the concept of the five-part "hype cycle" in technology adoption: innovation trigger, peak of inflated expectatio ..read more

Apple is reportedly exiting the car industry, focusing instead on software and mobility services. The company's decision is driven by the challenges and complexities of the automotive industry, including high costs, long product cycles, and difficulty in making significant contributions. Apple's future in mobility may lie in micromobility and smart accessories for vehicles. ? Apple's decision to exit the car industry is not surprising given the challenges and complexities associated with building and selling cars. The company's strengths lie in software and user experience, which may be better ..read more

On this episode of Ride On! we are talking with Tyson Roehrkasse, the Chief Reviewer at our sister company, Ride Review. Tyson has been with us now for around 4 months and comes from a tremendous background in electric bike reviews, with the majority of his time spent working with Electric Bike Review, the OG of the ebike review space.  Highlights: - ? Reviews play a crucial role in the success of small electrical vehicles, with online reviews impacting pre-orders, investments, and revenue. - ? The importance of local dealers and retailers in providing better customer experience and serv ..read more

Arnold Kamler, CEO of Kent International, discusses the evolution of his family's three generations of the bicycle business from its inception in 1906 to the present day. The journey includes the transition from retail to wholesale, adapting to market trends like racing and mountain bikes, overcoming challenges during the financial crisis and COVID-19, manufacturing in the US, moving it to Europe, then to Chin and then back to the US all the while remaining resilient in a dynamic industry that has now gone electric. Timeline: ? 1906: Arnold's grandfather arrives in the U.S. and opens up his f ..read more

In an emergency podcast episode of Ride On!, James Gross and guest Prabin Joel Jones discuss the Chapter 11 bankruptcy of Bird, one of the high flying shared micromobility companies over the last 5 years.. They delve into the financial challenges and strategic missteps of Bird and other companies in the shared micromobility space, considering the broader implications for the industry. They then turn their attention to how you could build a shared micromobility company today and the opportunities that are now present as capital and some of the existing industry heads for the exit.  ..read more

Oliver Bruce is back for this episode! Upway is an innovative company in the e-bike marketplace, specializing in the refurbishment and resale of electric bikes. Founded in 2021 and headquartered in Paris, France, Upway has made significant strides in the e-bike industry. Toussaint Wattinne, the CEO and co-founder of Upway, along with co-founder Stéphane Ficaja, have backgrounds in leading roles at Uber Eats, bringing their expertise in tech-driven business models to the e-bike industry. The company is notable for refurbishing and certifying a vast array of electric bikes, offering customers a ..read more

Melvin Lian is the Founder and CEO of @VoroMotors . He discusses his company's journey, from its beginnings in Singapore to its current base in Los Angeles. Melvin detailed the challenges he faced in Singapore, including strict regulations that culminated in an overnight ban on scooters. Melvin also talks about the company's innovations in seated scooters, its distribution of Kaboo and Dualtron scooters, as well as its own EMOVE line of vehicles. Highlights - ? Melvin Lim, founder and CEO of Voro Motors, explained how the firm began in Singapore due to the city's need for convenient and portab ..read more

With more Americans dying in car crashes than at any point since the 1970s, the data increasingly shows robotaxis make cities safe for micromobility. Edward Niedermeyer talks to @Waymo about how AVs can help eliminate the dangers of human driving, at Micromobility America 2024. Highlights ? The panel discusses the progress and ongoing evolution of road sharing in San Francisco, noting the city's move towards being more cyclist-friendly. ? The guests all share their individual experiences as cyclists around San Francisco, highlighting the importance of infrastructure and social norms for cyclis ..read more

At Micromobility America 2023, policymakers and fire-safety experts discuss why li-ion batteries in ebikes and scooters are suddenly catching on fire and how cities can minimize the risk - Panelists include Tristan Brown, Deputy Administrator of the Pipeline Hazardous Material Safety Administration (PHMSA), Jason Levine, the Executive Director of the Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC), and Laura Kavanagh, the FDNY Fire Commissioner. - The discussion focuses on the challenges and safety concerns related to lithium-ion batteries in micromobility vehicles, particularly in densely populated ..read more