Goods move through Quito every day to supply businesses, services and households. In busy urban areas, these deliveries affect traffic, emissions and the way streets are used. Through E-Moviliza, Quito is testing a cleaner model for last-mile logistics using electric vehicles and a cross-docking platform located at the Museo del Agua Yaku, in the Historic Centre. There, goods can be consolidated before being distributed in the final stage of delivery. Testing a cleaner delive

Urban mobility is shaped by everyday details: the distance to a bus stop, the condition of the pavement, the lighting along the way, waiting times, and the cost of changing from one mode of transport to another. For many women, daily mobility often involves several stops within a single trip: taking children to school, going to work, shopping, accessing healthcare services, or caring for family members. These journeys frequently combine different transport modes, and when the

Pathways to Smart and Sustainable Urban Mobility Transitions took place in Mexico City, bringing together around 24 participants from five ACCESS countries: Peru, Colombia, Argentina, Ecuador, and Mexico. The workshop was organised by the Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy and co-organised with the ACCESS project, with support from the Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (ZALF) and Mexican partner institutions. It was implemented under the

Electric urban logistics is often discussed in terms of vehicles, charging stations, or emissions reductions. But in practice, the transition starts somewhere less visible: coordination. Switching delivery fleets from diesel to electric is not only a technical shift. It changes how cities organise access to space, energy, infrastructure, and operations. And this only works when public authorities, logistics operators, utilities, and research partners move in the same directio

Electric mobility pilots are often seen as an important sign of progress. They allow cities, operators and companies to test vehicles, routes and partnerships in real conditions, instead of relying only on plans or assumptions. But a pilot does not automatically lead to wider use. A vehicle may perform well during a test period. A company may identify operational potential. A city may gather useful data. None of that guarantees continuity. What determines whether electric mob

The E-MOVILIZA project carried out the training programme Train the Trainers in Electromobility and Sustainable Mobility , marking an important step in Ecuador’s roadmap to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and air pollution in the transport sector. The project, formally titled Support for the Transition Toward Low-Carbon Electric Mobility in Ecuador , is funded by the Global Environment Facility (GEF7). Its implementation is led by the Ministry of Environment and Energy (MAE

In Quito, the E-Moviliza logistics pilot is showing how electric mobility can support cleaner transport, better services and safer working conditions. Through the pilot, ReciVeci tested an electric van to collect recyclable glass from different waste generators and see how this kind of technology could work in the daily reality of the recycling chain. For ReciVeci , a women-founded social enterprise working in recycling and circular economy in Ecuador, the pilot was a chance

As part of Women’s Month and in the lead-up to International Women in EV Day , we are sharing the experiences of women working across UEMI. They work in different areas, but their stories show how a path in electric mobility can grow in different ways. From left to right: Shruti Raje, Alexandra Suasnavas and Maryam Elamiri share their experiences of working in electric mobility across different roles and contexts at UEMI. Building skills and connecting knowledge to practice

After three years of collaboration, the STREnGth_M project (Stimulating Road Transport Research in Europe and around the Globe for Sustainable Mobility) has come to an end. Funded by the EU’s Horizon Europe programme , STREnGth_M brought together people from academia, industry, public institutions and international organisations to look at a shared challenge: how to make road transport research in Europe more connected, better coordinated and more responsive to the changes a

When electric mobility comes up, the conversation usually focuses on vehicles or charging stations. Those are the parts people see first. But once projects move beyond planning and begin operating in cities, another layer of work becomes visible. Many different roles sit behind the systems that allow electric mobility to function day to day. Introducing electric vehicles does not only change the technology used in transport. It also changes the kinds of work needed to keep

In GEMINI, it is easy to focus on what is being tested. A shared mobility service. A digital tool. Traffic management measures during a major event. But if you ask the cities involved what really defines their Living Lab experience, the answer usually starts much earlier. Before anything becomes visible on the street, there are months of coordination, internal discussions and small adjustments that rarely appear in public updates. This process is unfolding across GEMINI’s Mo

When people talk about electric mobility, the first things that usually come up are vehicles and charging stations. But in UEMI’s work with cities, we keep seeing the same thing: projects only really take off when people are involved from the start. Because electrifying transport is not just a technical upgrade. It changes how people work, how they move around their cities and whether they feel part of what’s happening. Those details matter. A lot. They often make the differe

Four cities with very different realities are actively exploring what electric Bus Rapid Transit looks like in practice. The newly published City Profiles of Buenos Aires, Cape Town, Curitiba and Kigali take a closer look at how this transition is unfolding on the ground. Each city operates within its own governance structure, financial context, and level of BRT maturity. Together, the profiles show that there is no single pathway. What matters is how electric BRT is planned

Electric mobility often arrives wrapped in a sense of urgency. As soon as a pilot is announced, there is an immediate assumption that vehicles should be on the streets, services up and running, and results ready to be shared. But electric mobility is introduced into transport systems shaped by existing contracts, regulations, institutional responsibilities, and operational routines. These systems were not designed with electrification in mind, and adapting them is neither an

Over the past few years, cities have quietly added new mobility options. More bike lanes. Shared bikes and scooters becoming familiar. New services promising cleaner and more flexible ways to get around. From the outside, it can look like a clear step forward. In everyday life, it is often less clear. For many people, getting around the city still feels fragmented. Switching between modes takes effort. Services do not always connect with public transport in a way that makes s

Electric mobility is already part of daily life in many cities, even if it rarely draws attention to itself. It shows up in passing moments. A bus moving without the familiar shake. A delivery bike gliding through traffic. A street that feels a bit less overwhelming than it used to. These changes are subtle. Most days, people do not stop to name them. But little by little, they alter how cities sound, feel and move. An electric delivery vehicle from the E-Moviliza project, qu

As 2025 comes to a close, it marks a year of consolidation, learning and reflection across UEMI’s work. Several projects reached decisive moments: pilots matured, methodologies were tested in real conditions, partnerships deepened and, in many cases, initiatives formally came to an end while leaving behind knowledge and capacity that will continue to grow. Across regions and thematic areas, a shared lesson became clear: progress is strongest when cities, communities, institu

The launch of ACCESS – Accelerating Access to Low Carbon Urban Mobility Solutions through Digitalization marked an important moment for discussions on smart and sustainable mobility in Ecuador . The project works to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from passenger and freight transport systems in cities across Argentina, Brazil, Colombia, Ecuador and Peru. ACCESS is financed by the International Climate Initiative (IKI) of the German Federal Ministry for the Environment, Natur

In Ecuador, the Courier School has grown into a place where people come to learn, connect and find new possibilities for themselves. What began as a training initiative is now a shared effort led by Grupo Entregas with UTPL, the Ministry of Telecommunications, BID Lab, Sistema B, UNHCR, Rett Foundation, World Vision, MINTEL, ACNUR, Formación Permanente and UEMI. Together, UEMI and the partners support people in vulnerable situations who are looking for a way into the labour

Bogotá has taken an important step in its transition toward cleaner, safer and more efficient public transport. In collaboration with the eBRT2030 project , funded by the European Union, the city launched the first demonstration of a new generation of electric BRT systems that combine sustainability, automation, and connectivity . This workplaces Bogotá at the centre of a Latin American cluster created to exchange knowledge and build capacity among cities. Marta Gutiérrez