5 QUESTIONS TO A SUSTAINABLE ENTREPRENEUR: CHAIRWOMAN KIM TAYLOR OF THE NEW MOTION

1. Can you explain in 1 paragraph what The New Motion involves?

The New Motion, founded by Ritsaart van Montfrans and Alef Arendsen, offers every person in The Netherlands unlimited mobility in its cleanest form. Everything we do is rooted in this goal. The New Motion promotes mobility powered by renewable energy by making it affordable, and showing that it's cool, fun and fast. We are also establishing a national network of intelligent fast and normal chargers, which drivers can access with just one pass. If you, as a person or a company, want to drive an electric car today, The New Motion will organise everything for you from the cars, the financing (lease, insurance & subsidy application), the charging station, the upkeep, battery-monitoring, car sharing and much much more. 

2. Why can we call your service sustainable?

Not only do the products and services we offer contribute to a sustainable future but the way we are operating as a company is also in line with our values. For example, we have made a lot of effort to create a company culture in which our employees are inspired, can grow and enjoy their work. We also practice what we preach by driving electric cars or using public transport.

3. What are your biggest challenges?

The biggest challenge for electric cars is still the infrastructure. People want to know that they will not be stranded with an empty battery. That is why we are focussing our efforts on establishing a charge network of 10,000 chargers and 100 fast chargers in The Netherlands by 2013. This way we can eliminate the largest barrier facing electric cars!

4. What should the government do to promote sustainable entrepreneurship?

What is helping our industry at the moment is that the government is incentivising electric mobility with tax benefits. This is necessary in the first years of market introduction.

5. What advice would you give to fellow sustainable entrepreneurs?

Never let nay-sayers interrupt or stop you from doing what you're doing. Ignore the 'no's' and non-believers and just keep going. It's not supposed to be easy...that's what makes it fun and rewarding!

The New Motion is fuelled by DOEN Foundation