170: Talking micro EV’s with Gabe Klein, head of the US Joint Office of Energy and Transportation

170: Talking micro EV’s with Gabe Klein, head of the US Joint Office of Energy and Transportation

Author: Oliver Bruce and Horace Dediu February 16, 2023 Duration: 23:31

This week we are releasing another episode from the Micromobility world catalogue – this one is a conversation between Gabe Klein, the first person to head the newly formed Joint Office of Energy and Transportation, and Julia Thayne, our Micromobility world Cohost. 


Gabes' job is to break down barriers to electrifying transportation. We’ve had him on the podcast before for episode 122 for what was one of the top episodes of the year. Before he took his current role, he has held a number of really interesting roles as a Zipcar exec and chief of the Washington DC and Chicago DOTs. 


He joins Julia to discuss the role small electric vehicles can play in America’s EV transformation. He’s a self confessed ebike nut and it was awesome to have him join to talk micromobility. 


Learn more about Gabe and what he does, via his website here

In this episode they tackle:

- The new role that Gabe has taken on and what it's scope is

- How he thinks about micromobility in the overall scope of electrification of transport in the US and the role that it can play 

- The lack of ebike subsidy that was in the IRA, and what other programmes are doing to support their adoption 

- The role of government in rolling out electrification of transport


And with that, here’s Gabe and Julia.


Catch us on TwitterHorace and Oliver are also active on their personal accounts and would love to hear from you.

Catch us on Twitter @MicromobilityCoHorace and Oliver are also active on their personal accounts and would love to hear from you.

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Ed Niedermeyer, an author and analyst with a sharp focus on the automotive world, guides Ride AI alongside co-hosts Horace Dediu, Oliver Bruce, and James Gross. Together, they navigate the complex intersection where artificial intelligence meets transportation, a space that's rapidly reshaping how we think about movement, business, and urban life. This isn't just a series of interviews; it's a deep exploration of the forces driving change, from autonomous vehicles and electric scooters to the broader economic and societal shifts they trigger. Each episode pulls back the curtain on the strategies and struggles of founders, investors, and engineers who are building the future of mobility. You'll hear candid discussions that go beyond the hype, focusing on the practical realities of investment, the nuances of technological adoption, and the lessons learned from both successes and failures in the field. For anyone curious about the business models behind the tech or the investment theses shaping this volatile sector, this podcast offers a grounded, insightful perspective. Tune in for conversations that are as much about the journey of innovation as they are about the destination.
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