The Future of Transportation: Cutting Carbon, One Commute at a Time with Chinmay Malaviya, Ridepanda

Rethinking Commuting: How Ridepanda is Driving the Future of E-Mobility

When Chinmay Malaviya, co-founder and CEO of Ridepanda, sat down with The Wild Party Podcast, he shared a powerful vision for the future of commuting. Ridepanda, a company built around sustainable e-bike and e-scooter solutions, is challenging the idea that cars are the only practical way to get around in U.S. cities.

From Finance to Food Delivery to E-Mobility

Chinmay’s journey to founding Ridepanda was anything but ordinary. He began in investment banking technology at Credit Suisse, co-founded Foodpanda in Asia, and later worked in operations at Lime, one of the biggest names in scooter-sharing. At Lime, he witnessed firsthand the explosive adoption of e-scooters and e-bikes, with millions of rides completed in a matter of months.

But while shared scooters and bikes introduced people to new ways of moving, they also came with limitations: high costs, one-size-fits-all vehicles, and unreliable availability. Chinmay and his co-founder, Charlie Depman, saw an opportunity to build something different; something built around long-term access, affordability, and reliability.

Solving the Behavior Change Challenge

Changing the way people commute is not easy. As Stefanie LaHart, host of The Wild Party Podcast, pointed out, behavior change is one of the hardest barriers to overcome. Chinmay agreed, explaining that many people had become “e-bike curious” after trying shared scooters, especially during the pandemic. But when faced with the high upfront cost of owning an e-bike or the unreliability of shared fleets, many hesitated.

Ridepanda’s solution? A flexible, subscription-based model that allows customers to pay month-to-month, swap between different vehicle types, and enjoy the peace of mind of included insurance and servicing. Employers often subsidize these subscriptions, making them even more accessible. The result has been thousands of new riders—many of whom hadn’t biked since childhood; rediscovering cycling as a daily option.

The Mission Behind Ridepanda

For Chinmay, the mission goes beyond business growth. He is driven by a personal passion for addressing the climate crisis and rethinking how Americans get around. With transportation accounting for a major share of U.S. emissions—and 60% of car trips under five miles—Ridepanda is designed to replace short car trips with clean, fun, and sustainable alternatives.

He also highlighted Ridepanda’s efforts to make micromobility inclusive. The company provides different vehicle types to suit varying body types and needs, promotes accessibility for women riders, and ensures every subscriber receives a helmet for safety.

Building Partnerships with Employers and Cities

Ridepanda’s pivot from direct-to-consumer to working with employers has been a game-changer. By offering e-bike subscriptions as a commuter benefit, the company has partnered with tech giants like Amazon, Google, and Intuit, as well as city governments and universities. Employers see the benefits not only in sustainability reporting and emissions reduction, but also in employee health, cost savings, and talent retention.

Ridepanda also collaborates with local governments by sharing ridership data and advocating for better infrastructure, stricter safety standards, and policy changes such as making biking a pre-tax commuter benefit on par with parking.

Why the Panda?

For Chinmay, pandas are more than just a playful mascot. From his early days at the World Wildlife Fund to his work at Foodpanda and now Ridepanda, the panda has been a consistent symbol of environmental stewardship and approachability. As he put it, pandas are “cute, cuddly, and approachable” and exactly the kind of energy he wants Ridepanda to embody as it welcomes new riders into the world of e-mobility.

Looking Ahead

Ridepanda is still on its journey, but the momentum is clear. By combining flexible access, employer partnerships, and a mission-driven culture, the company is proving that sustainable commuting can be both practical and fun.

For Chinmay, success is not only measured in revenue, but also in the thousands of people who are riding again; many for the first time in decades. And with growing interest from both employers and governments, Ridepanda is helping reshape the future of urban transportation.

Ready to learn more about Ridepanda and their subscription-based e-mobility solutions? Visit ridepanda.com to explore their bikes, scooters, and partnership opportunities.