Note: Registration is required to attend this event, and registration is now closed.

Co-organized by the World Bank Group and the Inter-American Development Bank, E-Mobility Day at Transforming Transportation 2026 will explore innovation and global perspectives on jobs and economic growth. Sessions will examine how advances in electric mobility across transport modes—from electric buses and freight logistics to maritime and port applications—can strengthen value chains, boost productivity, and generate scalable solutions. Drawing on global experience and lessons learned, discussions will address job creation, industrial development, and the conditions needed for sustainable growth in the sector.

E-Mobility Day is supported by the WBG E-Mobility Impact Program (partners: Institute of Transportation Studies at UC Davis, GEF, KPOK, KOTI, UITP, and UNEP) and the LAC E-Mobility Salon (partners: C40, GIZ, UITP, and WRI).

 

About the WBG Academy's Accelerating Urban E-Mobility Solutions Impact Program

The Accelerating Urban E-Mobility Solutions Impact Program helps government and city leaders transition to low-carbon urban transport. Responding to rapid urbanization and rising emissions, it equips senior decision-makers with knowledge, tools, and networks to design policies, investments, and market frameworks that accelerate electric mobility adoption. Participants examine how electric buses, two- and three-wheelers, and other modes can reduce greenhouse gases and improve urban accessibility.

The program, under the umbrella of the World Bank Group Academy, combines four learning components: immersion visits to leading e-mobility cities, expert-led webinars, a capstone project where teams develop actions plans and implementation strategies, and participation in an ongoing peer-led community of practice.

 

About the LAC E-Mobility Salon Series

The Latin America and Caribbean (LAC) E-Mobility Salon is an initiative led by the LAC transport team aimed at accelerating the electrification of transport systems across the region. The Salon convenes key stakeholders to exchange knowledge, share experiences, and coordinate efforts that support sustainable, inclusive, and economically productive transport systems.

Building on the success of previous editions, the Salon is becoming a long-term knowledge exchange platform for multilateral development banks, development partners, government officials, operators, industry leaders, and technical experts.

 

Note that this agenda is preliminary and subject to change.

Master of Ceremonies: Roland Hwang, Policy Director, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis

08:30-09:00 Breakfast and registration
09:00-09:05

Opening Remarks

  • Ben Reja, Practice Manager for East and Southern Africa, Transport and Logistics Department, World Bank Group

09:05-10:30

 

 

Closing the Loop: Strategies for End-of-Life Battery Management in Emerging Markets
This session, co-hosted by UC Davis and the United Nations Environment Programme, will showcase an emerging initiative led by the UC Davis Institute of Transportation Studies’ Global South Center to develop a practical policy roadmap for end-of-life (EOL) electric vehicle batteries. The roadmap aims to support countries—particularly emerging and transitioning markets—in assessing their EOL battery ecosystem across regulatory, economic, and political dimensions, and in identifying policy options that maximize value recovery while minimizing environmental and social burdens.

Moderator:

  • Roland Hwang, Policy Director, Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis

Keynote Presentation:

  • Rob de Jong, Head of the Sustainable Mobility Unit, Industry and Economy Division, UN Environment Programme

Main Presentation:

  • Dr. Francisco Pares, Deputy Director for the Global South Center, Institute of Transportation Studies, UC Davis

Panelists:

  • Renske Schuitmaker, Used EVs and Battery End-Of-Life Programme Lead, UN Environment Programme (virtual)
  • Meg Slattery, Staff Scientist, EarthJustice
  • Ibrahima Ka, Associate Professor, Department of Electromechanical Engineering, Ecole Polytechnique de Thies, Senegal
  • Vishant Kothari, Senior Manager, School Bus Electrification and Battery Circularity, WRI Ross Center for Sustainable Cities

10:30-10:45

Recharge Break (Coffee and Tea)

10:45-13:00

 

Learn, Adapt, Scale: Showcasing the E-Mobility Transition in Action

This session brings together government delegations from emerging markets to share what they are currently designing and implementing as they navigate the complex transition to electric urban transport. The session will be structured into three thematic panels, finishing with the culmination and graduation of the first cohort of the World Bank Group Academy's Accelerating Urban E-Mobility Solutions Impact Program.

Welcoming remarks and presentations:

  • Nicolas Peltier-Thiberge, Senior Adviser, Transport and Logistics Department, World Bank Group 
  • Arup Banerji, Director of Knowledge and Learning, World Bank Group
  • Veronique Kabongo, Head of the World Bank Group Academy, World Bank Group
  • Nargis Ryskulova, Head of the Accelerating Urban E-Mobility Solutions Impact Program of the World Bank Group Academy

Panel discussions (30m each):

  • 1. Financing the Transition: From Public Budgets to Private Capital 
    • Featuring representatives from Brazil, Kenya, and Sierra Leone
    • Moderator: Jessica Farmer, Principal Investment Officer, Transport and Logistics Department, World Bank Group
  • 2. Rethinking Transit Business Models: Market Design, Supply Chains, and Operators 
    • Featuring representatives from Indonesia, Rwanda, and Kenya
    • Moderator: Ben Reja, Practice Manager for East and Southern Africa, Transport and Logistics Department, World Bank Group
  • 3. The Transport–Energy Nexus: Power Systems, Charging, and Grid Readiness 
    • Featuring representatives from Pakistan, Senegal, and Nigeria
    • Moderator: Kartik Gopal, Senior Industry Specialist, International Finance Corporation, World Bank Group

Closing remarks and graduation ceremony:

  • Nicolas Peltier-Thiberge, Senior Adviser, Transport and Logistics Department, World Bank Group 

13:00-14:00

Lunch

14:00-14:10

 Keynote address
  • Marcela Silva, Regional Director for Infrastructure, Latin America and Caribbean Region, World Bank Group

14:10-14:30

 E-Bus Radar Upgrades: A Collaborative Approach
  • Raul Rodriguez, Lead Transport Specialist, Inter-American Development Bank
  • Nicolle Konai, Investment and Partnerships Senior Manager for the Zero Emission Bus Rapid-deployment Accelerator (ZEBRA), C40
  • Yang Chen, Senior Trasport Specialist, World Bank Group

14:30-15:30

E-Mobility as a Driver of Economic Growth, Industry Scaling, and Urban Transformation

This session explores the intersection of large-scale electric bus transitions with broader socio-economic goals, specifically focusing on sustainable job creation and workforce skills development. Panelists will discuss how e-mobility investments act as catalysts for local economic growth and industrial transformation across diverse urban contexts.

Panelists:

  • José Guadalupe Luna Hernández, Chief of Staff, Secretariat of Mobility, State of Mexico
  • Pablo Souza, Secretary of Mobility, Salvador de Bahia, Brazil 
  • Trinidad Hernandez, Deputy Mayor for Mobility, Malaga City, Spain
  • Nancy Seck, Head of General and Technical Studies Division, CETUD, Senegal
  • Milena Romano, CEO, Eletra

Moderator:

  • Ana Maria Pinto, Chief of the Transport Division, Inter-American Development Bank

15:30-16:20

Interactive Pitch Challenge

Cities and startups present their e-mobility solutions to a panel of expert judges and a live-voting audience. Projects will be evaluated based on bankability, technical innovation, and job creation potential. 

Pitches:

  • Mariana Sang, Executive Director of Sustainable & Impact Investing, BTG Pactual
  • Roukeya El Bouazzi, Director, Energy, Resources and Infrastructure Finance, BNP Paribas
  • Joseph Hurst-Croft, CEO, ArcRide, Africa
  • Gustavo Tannure, CEO, EZVolt
  • Rep. from Kabisa, Rwanda

Facilitator:

  • Aditya Ramji, Director of the Global South Center at the Institute of Transportation Studies, University of California, Davis

16:20-17:20

Innovation in E-Mobility: Transport, Energy, Digital, and Urban

This session explores innovation in e-mobility across maritime transport, freight and logistics, green ports and corridors, and fleet electrification. Panelists will discuss emerging technologies, digital solutions, and business models driving decarbonization and more connected, resilient transport systems.

Panelists:

  • Gustav Hasselskog, Founder and CEO, Candela
  • Eva Bejarano Wieseler, Head of Tenders & Standardization Department, AIMPLAS
  • Gordon Wilmsmeier, Kühne Professorial Chair in Logistics, Universidad de los Andes, Colombia
  • Jessica Hoyos, Director of Account Management, Element Fleet Management
  • Rachmat Kaimuddin, Deputy Minister of Infrastructure, Coordinating Ministry for Infrastructure and Development, Indonesia

Moderator:

  • Jen JungEun Oh, Practice Manager for Transport and Logistics, South Asia Region, World Bank Group

17:20-17:30

Closing Remarks

  • Bianca Bianchi Alves, Practice Manager for Transport and Logistics, Latin American and Caribbean Region, World Bank Group

17:30-19:00

Networking Reception

FAQs

Yes. Please use the Sign Up button to register. This confirms your attendance for either the in-person event or access to the livestream. Once registered, you’ll receive an email with event access details, location or login instructions, and timely reminders.

The event recording will be available on this page shortly after it concludes. If you registered via the Sign Up button, you’ll receive a follow-up email with a link to watch the replay and access any resources shared during the event.