The E-Bike Grand Prix (EBK GP), the world’s first international racing series showcasing electric bicycle technology, has announced that it is partnering with Ricardo as its sustainability partner.
The E-Bike Grand Prix, which is set to set to launch in late 2022 with a showcase event in Dubai, will span across 10 major cities across the world in 2023. The race series will work with each global host city to raise awareness of climate change challenges.
Alongside the annual 5-day Grand Prix event, each host city will commit to implementing a tailored three-year Sustainable & Transformative Mobility (STM) program, with support provided by Ricardo.
The STM program will aim to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, improve local air quality and enhance green mobility in the cities where the races are taking place.
Ricardo will support EBK GP’s core mission to leave a lasting green legacy in host cities by providing a robust monitoring, reporting and verification framework for ensuring the integrity of commitments. Ricardo’s experts will support city stakeholders to identify opportunities for increased ambition over and above existing pledges and actions, such as national climate commitments under the Paris Agreement and local climate action plans, ensuring additionality and transparency of delivery. Ricardo will also be supporting the EBK GP organizing teams to ensure the race series meets the highest standards for sustainable events.
South Korea and the UAE have recently been confirmed as the first two countries participating in the global race series.
Participating cities will become part of the series’ Global Host City network where knowledge can be shared and new international partnerships forged.
The STM program will run between the annual EBK GP sporting events to encourage the long-term embedding of sustainability commitments. At the end of the program, cities that have delivered their STM program commitments will be recognized through a Sustainable Mobility Beacon City Award. This award aims to verify and celebrate the host city’s successful engagement with the EBK GP and delivery of measurable outcomes under their STM program.
Dylan Moss, sustainability coordinator at EBK GP, said: “We’re delighted to welcome Ricardo as an official EBK GP partner. Ricardo’s work in sustainability is world-renowned and will be key in the delivery of action plan designs for host cities. Their ethos is fully aligned with EBKGP’s, in terms of what can be achieved, the opportunity to start afresh with a new, never seen before, event, and by creating a positive, meaningful and impactful change. We can’t wait to fully showcase this exciting partnership.”
Rose Bailey, associate director for climate action planning and transparency at Ricardo, said: “We’re proud to be supporting EBK GP to deliver the world’s first E-Bike Grand Prix. The opportunity to use our international climate change expertise to create a lasting legacy, raise environmental ambitions, inspire citizens and deliver transformative action in the host cities is extremely exciting and vitally important. Ricardo’s robust scientific approach and experience are a key to ensuring measurable and lasting impact.”
