In this insightful episode of the Venture Capital Podcast, hosts Jon Bradshaw and Peter Harris are joined by Tiya Gordon, co-founder and CEO of It’s Electric, and Olaf Sakkers, managing partner at Red Blue Capital. Together, they explore the rapidly evolving electric vehicle (EV) landscape, shedding light on market dynamics, industry challenges, and transformative opportunities shaping the future of mobility and energy.
Tiya shares her experience leading a Brooklyn-based startup that delivers curbside EV chargers, providing innovative solutions to overcome infrastructure barriers and enable wider EV adoption, especially in urban environments. She highlights the critical need for accessible charging infrastructure, urban-centric solutions, and the potential for bidirectional energy flows that turn EVs into mobile energy storage units supporting city grids.
Olaf, a seasoned investor with deep expertise in mobility, logistics, and energy transition, offers a global perspective on EV market shifts. He discusses China’s dominance in EV manufacturing, the complex political and economic factors impacting U.S. EV adoption, and the broader vision of transforming transportation beyond passenger vehicles, emphasizing heavy-duty EV trucks and micromobility solutions as key areas of innovation.
The conversation delves into the cultural, regulatory, and infrastructural hurdles slowing EV adoption in the U.S., including tariff impacts, urban planning challenges, and entrenched interests favoring traditional car ownership. Tiya and Olaf discuss promising opportunities for founders and investors, from scalable last-mile delivery electrification to innovative micromobility and multi-modal electric transit solutions.
Listeners will gain a nuanced understanding of the intersection between technology, policy, infrastructure, and consumer behavior in the EV ecosystem, along with actionable insights on where meaningful innovation and impact can happen next. Whether you’re an entrepreneur, investor, or EV enthusiast, this episode offers a candid, comprehensive look at powering the future of sustainable transportation.
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