173: The U.S politics of micromobility with Matt Yglesias and Julia Thayne DeMordaunt

173: The U.S politics of micromobility with Matt Yglesias and Julia Thayne DeMordaunt

Author: Oliver Bruce and Horace Dediu March 9, 2023 Duration: 56:15

This week we are releasing another talk from our recent Micromobility World  - this one with Matthew Yglesias, pioneering political blogger and self-described "ebike dad," on why electric bikes and other small vehicles offer a compelling alternative to the solve the urban mobility dilemma. 

Matt has a wealth of knowledge about the interplay of politics, Transport and land use and Julia is an excellent host to ask him about it. This was a really compelling and interesting 50 minutes. We hope you enjoy it! 


They dig into:

- His journey to be an ‘e-bike dad’ - and a big proponent of electric bikes 

- The intersection between transport and built urban form - and the overhang of cars. 

- How people are now getting used to taking the vehicles that are appropriate to the trips 

- The divide between privately owned and shared systems, and how land use rules interplay with those decisions. 

- The regulatory drivers helping and hindering EVs and micromobility 

- The subsidy question - needed or not? 

- Why he thinks SoCal should be ground zero for a micromobility first city

- The importance of making micromobility a positive, accessible brand rather than making it snobby or a ‘poverty option’

- The importance of allowing the built environment to innovate to new mobility options. 

- What should micromobility advocates do to help drive change. 

- Americans are typically pro-growth, opportunity and innovation. How can those attitudes be harnessed for micromobility, and transcend the left/right divide. 


Follow Matthew on Twitter and on LinkedIn.


And now, here is Matt and Julia.



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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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