Electric mobility works best when people lead the way

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 difference between a project that blends into everyday life and one that never moves beyond a pilot.

Electric mobility becomes real when people lead the way

Inclusion starts with real-life barriers

Exclusion rarely looks dramatic. It usually shows up in quieter ways: not having access to training, working informally, or simply being outside the networks where opportunities circulate.

Through MobiliseHER, UEMI works with local partners to support women who want to enter or grow in the mobility sector, whether that means learning technical skills or stepping into leadership roles. What stands out is how practical support changes what feels possible. For many women, it is the first time they see a clear path into this space. For cities, it helps build mobility systems that better reflect the people who live there.

In Quito, E-Moviliza follows the same people-first logic. The project combines electric last-mile delivery with hands-on training and strong local partnerships. Instead of focusing only on vehicles, it connects cleaner transport with real work opportunities for people already active in urban logistics.

Across very different contexts, one thing keeps coming back: access does not just happen. It needs to be intentionally built into every step.

From individual stories to shared learning

As projects developed, another pattern became impossible to ignore. Women were not only taking part in electric mobility initiatives. They were shaping them, on the ground, as drivers, technicians, trainers and community leaders.

That is what led to We Drive Change. The platform brings together stories from across UEMI projects and puts real people at the centre. It creates space to share what is working and what is not, helping cities learn from each other and adapt ideas to their own realities.

Why listening matters

One of the simplest lessons we keep learning is also one of the most important: listen first.

Projects work better when they are shaped by the people who will actually use them.

Conversations with workers, users and local stakeholders often surface things no technical plan can predict, from safety concerns to everyday practical challenges.

Taking time to listen early helps cities adjust their ideas before everything is locked in. It also builds trust, which makes new systems easier to adopt because they are grounded in real experiences, not assumptions.

Small choices make a big difference

Inclusion is built through everyday decisions: who gets invited to training, whose feedback is taken seriously, how information is shared.

Over time, these small choices shape how projects grow. When inclusion is part of the process, initiatives tend to feel more local, more owned and more sustainable. They also open space for more voices to contribute to what urban mobility can look like.

At UEMI, inclusion is not a side topic. It is part of how we work with cities, from early planning to implementation. By linking technical progress with social impact, we aim to support mobility transitions that cut emissions while creating real opportunities for people.