logo
episode-header-image
Aug 2022
19m 5s

The electric transport revolution

Bbc World Service
About this episode

New forms of electric transport are revolutionising the way we travel for both work and leisure.

Soaring gas prices around the world are encouraging people to look for alternatives such as electric bikes, kick scooters and mopeds.

Tara Holmes visits a new bike shop in the Peak District in England, and speaks to husband and wife team, Richard and Madeline Bowker, owners of Criterium Cycles, and gets the chance to try out one of their best-selling e-bikes. The global market for e-bikes today is worth $35billion.

From there, Tara travels to Nottingham to try out an electric kick scooter for the first time on a public road. She also speaks to Kfir Ben Shooshan, founder of Inokim, an e-scooter company based in Tel Aviv in Israel.

We also hear from people who believe the shift to electrification is happening too fast with safety concerns being ignored. Nikhil Inamdar reports from Delhi in India where two people from the same family died following a scooter battery explosion.

Professor David Greenwood, an electrification expert at Warwick University in the UK, offers some tips on how to avoid buying unsafe vehicles.

And, Augustin Friedel, an independent analyst and mobility expert from Germany reveals which countries are most encouraging new forms of electric transport and how this is being done safely.

Presenter/producer: Tara Holmes (Image: A person riding an electric bike; Credit: Getty)

Up next
Yesterday
Business Daily meets: Fani Titi, Investec CEO
The South African grew up under the racist apartheid system as one of 14 children. He looked set for a life in farming, until a chance event took him down a different path – ultimately becoming CEO of the multinational banking group, Investec. Presenter: Leanna Byrne Producer: El ... Show More
17m 27s
Oct 8
Small country: Big tariffs
We head to Switzerland, a small but very successful country with a population of just 9 million.And now coping with some of US President Donald Trump’s highest tariffs. In August the original threat of 31% tariffs was raised to 39%. Two months on, efforts to negotiate with Washin ... Show More
17m 30s
Oct 7
Should we expect more airline delays?
Passengers are suffering more disruption as technology at airports, airlines and air traffic control is failing.But why is aviation software becoming more prone to failure and vulnerable to cyber-attacks, and what is the solution to preventing delays?Presented and produced by Rus ... Show More
17m 28s
Recommended Episodes
Sep 2019
Electric Bikes | 7
Harley Davidson built its brand on big, loud and heavy bikes. So why is the company staking its future on an electric motorcycle? It turns out Harley's main demographic, baby boomers, are aging out of the motorcycle scene and the company is looking for its next target market. But ... Show More
27m 33s
Mar 2023
E49: Building a global electric vehicle company from the UAE
Adam Ridgway, a British expat, moved to the UAE 15 years ago to pursue his career in TV and like most entrepreneurs to be, he realized that he needed autonomy to unleash his creativity. He went on to launch and exit several businesses in branding and publishing until his passion ... Show More
54m 36s
Oct 2021
Electrify Everything
To survive the climate crisis, we need to electrify everything: our cars, of course, but also our appliances, homes, mass transit, entire neighborhoods and cities. Everything.  That’s no small task. So to better understand why electrifying everything matters, and how we’re going ... Show More
27m 56s
Jan 2021
Comment transformer son vieux vélo en vélo électrique ?
Si le vélo a fait un retour en force ces dernières années, ce sont surtout les véhicules à assistance électrique qui ont gagné en popularité. Cependant, tout le monde n'a pas les moyens d'acquérir vélo, skateboard ou trottinette électriques. Problème résolu avec le kit Clip, perm ... Show More
1m 47s
Feb 2012
Automotive
The view from the top of business. Presented by Evan Davis, The Bottom Line cuts through confusion, statistics and spin to present a clearer view of the business world, through discussion with people running leading and emerging companies. The programme is broadcast first on BBC ... Show More
28m 2s
Feb 2020
Electric Scooters
City governments know them as sharable, dockless mobility devices. The rest of us call them electric scooters. Whether you’re a fan of the micromobility movement or not, you have to admit they’ve made us all think differently about our urban transport options. Join Scott and Kurt ... Show More
39m 20s
Jan 2022
IG Outlook 2022: Electric vehicles with Julie Boote
Electric vehicles (EVs) have started to become ‘mainstream’ in this last year, according to Julie Boote from Pelham Smithers Associates.  IGTV’s Jeremy Naylor caught up with Julie to look at where the demand is coming from and what developments are likely to move the sector next ... Show More
15m 1s
Oct 2023
Roam: Electrifying Africa’s mobility
“We’re giving the opportunity for people to do a lot of technical work, that generally doesnt happen too often in Kenya”If you’ve been to East Africa you may be familiar with “boda bodas.” If not, they’re small taxi bikes, commonly used by couriers or to transport people. There a ... Show More
19m 1s
Jun 2024
Demystifying the Chinese EV market
New electric vehicles — including both battery electric and plug-in hybrid vehicles — make up nearly half of new car sales in China. Compared to slowing EV sales in Europe and the U.S. the Chinese market is booming. So what’s going on?In this episode, Shayle talks to TP Huang, wh ... Show More
37m 52s