When it comes to speed in the context of the German Deutsche Telekom AG, everything usually revolves around the question of how quickly data gets from A to B. Now the company has unveiled an initiative to help its employees travel fast and sustainably. They have the chance to lease an Urwahn Platzhirsch. Ramon Thomas, Managing Director of Urwahn Engineering, reveals exclusively in an interview with Elektrofahrrad24 how the telecom bike with magenta frame and many white Ts came about.
Ramon, Urwahn has made an insanely prominent deal. We feel it clashes a bit with your strategy of the recent past.
At first glance, the cooperation with Telekom might seem a bit distant from what we have done so far. Our other special editions were created with partners like the design retailer Spiekermann or the mail-order company Torquato. They clearly come from a different background and carry a different image to a certain extent. Viewed soberly, however, in both cases, as in the case of the Telekom Bike, the aim is to encourage more people to cycle and to make traffic more environmentally friendly. That’s why it fits very well into our strategy.
What were the concrete arguments in favour of a cooperation with Germany’s largest telephone provider?
Deutsche Telekom is currently stepping up its efforts to increase sustainability. Within the corporate division of Telekom MobilitySolutions, for example, the electrification of the company’s own vehicle fleet plays an enormous role. The company is already quite far along in this area. In the mobility behaviour of their own employees, on the other hand, they still have a bit of work ahead of them. If we can support this and motivate people to switch to cycling, then I can’t see anything objectionable about it.
Urwahn Engineering Managing Director Sebastian Meinecke and Ramon Thomas (right)
Urwahn is a fine bicycle manufacturer from Germany, but a rather small one in terms of units. How did the Telekom choose you of all companies?
As far as we know, there were indeed enquiries from other manufacturers. In the end, we were able to impress them with our innovative approach, our appreciation for regional production and our awareness of resource-saving production.
A few days ago, Telekom presented its bike in Bonn. How much preparation did it take?
The actual work was done within only three months. This was partly due to the fact that the leasing company Company Bike was a third party involved, who skilfully coordinated all the arrangements between us and Telekom, ensured that the project progressed steadily and kept things running smoothly.
In terms of design, the ebike makes a clear statement. Who is the main driving force behind this?
When you tackle a project like this with Telekom, the colour magenta is set from the start. That was no problem at all for us. In fact, it soon turned out that Telekom had taken quite a close look at our previous production history. The people in charge brought a design proposal into play that went back to a model we had produced four or five years ago. From there it went very quickly to the final paint job.
And now thousands of Telekom employees will be leasing a pink ebike in the future?
Not necessarily. Strictly speaking, the design presented at the press conference is only one variant that Telekom employees can choose from. In addition, they can choose colours that are part of our standard bike programme.
But the Platzhirsch ebike is set?
No, even here we are talking about just one of many variants. For one thing, the cooperation also includes the Waldwiesel.E, our e-gravel bike. And for another, there is no restriction to ebikes. If you want, you can also ride the regular version of the respective bike with the Stadtfuchs or the Waldwiesel, but without the electric drive.
Will the Telekom Bike also appear as a special edition in your shop soon?
No, unfortunately not. It will be made exclusively for Telekom employees.
Timotheus Höttges, CEO of Deutsche Telekom AG, takes off directly from the stage for a first test ride on the Telekom Bike.
What do you expect from the joint project?
Well, we don’t need to beat about the bush. It’s a great opportunity to raise the profile of Urwahn and draw more attention to the brand. At the same time, we want to use the project to put the relatively young cooperation with Company Bike on a sound footing and thus make it more permanent. What better way to do that than with such a well-known reference, where we can demonstrate our skills.
Aren’t you afraid that potential private buyers will find the cooperation with Telekom less praiseworthy?
Not really, no. First of all, the intention behind it is a core part of our business idea. With emotional bikes, we want to get people to ride bikes. That’s exactly what this case is about. And secondly, hardly anyone would have thought we could take on a project of this magnitude. That alone was a reason to do it all the more. We like the idea of always being good for a surprise.
Ramon, thank you very much for the interview.
Pictures: Urwahn Engineering GmbH; Deutsche Telekom AG
