World car free day

16-09-2024

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At PENDLR, our mission is to make daily travel more flexible efficient and greener. While we do not completely reject the car, we strongly believe in the power of cycling and other forms of micro-mobility - especially for all daily trips in and around the city. This vision fits perfectly with the message of European Mobility Week, which takes place this week. An important part of this week is the car-free day - a powerful symbol for more sustainable transport choices.

The origins of the car-free day

Car-free day has an interesting history. It began in the Netherlands and Belgium during the Suez crisis in 1956, when limited oil reserves led to the introduction of car-free Sundays. This was later repeated during the 1973 oil crisis, this time on a global scale. In the 1990s, the day took on a new meaning: raising environmental awareness.

In 1998, several French cities launched their own car-free day, with the support of the French Environment Ministry. This successful initiative eventually led to the creation of the annual European Car-Free Day, which became part of European Mobility Week in 2002. This week provides cities with a platform to highlight environmentally friendly transport options, such as cycling and public transport.

The shift to more sustainable transport

There has been an increasing focus on the environment and sustainability in recent years, and how we move around every day is an important part of that. In more and more cities, cars are being deliberately reduced to make room for cleaner, more efficient transport alternatives. This transformation is well visible in cities such as Paris, where a study by the Institut Paris Region (IPR) shows that bicycles are now more popular than cars in the city centre.

In the Netherlands too, we see a clear growth in the number of cyclists, according to research by the Shuttel, employers help their employees to make cycling for commuting more attractive. In addition, the use of shared micromobility - such as e-scooters and shared bicycles - has grown significantly in recent years. Data from NUMO shows that the number of cities with shared micromobility doubled between 2019 and 2023.

Moreover, according to McKinsey research, the number of people open to using micromobility as part of their daily travel is growing. Although the car remains dominant for now, the shifts towards more sustainable transport options are increasingly significant.

Reshaping daily commutes

At PENDLR, we also see this development. Although the car still plays a major role, we believe in the growing use of bicycles and other forms of micromobility for all daily travel: from commuting to work and shopping, to delivering parcels to customers' homes. Therefore, we offer a carefully curated range of products that support this sustainable mobility. This is how we continue to build on our mission! Below is a selection of the sustainable means of transport in our range, but please note that above all, we also offer many parts and accessories for these means of transport.

Eovolt

Eovolt folding bikes are perfect for short trips in and around town. Their compact size and foldable design make them ideal for combining with public transport, allowing you to cover the ‘last-mile’ effortlessly.

JIVR

JIVR electric scooters are designed for dynamic city life. Lightweight, foldable and perfect for busy urban areas - a stylish and efficient alternative to the car.

JoKer Bike

JoKer Bike turns any city bike into a cargobike. This innovative product is ideal for transporting goods around town or for business use as a practical, sustainable alternative to the car.

Join us on our mission!

Will you join us in making daily journeys more flexible, efficient and greener? And would you also like to sell these unique and exclusive brands? Then become a dealer at PENDLR. Together, we can make a difference!