Explore every episode of the podcast The Solar Cycle Podcast

Join host Justin Starbird as he welcomes back Organic Transit Co-founder and CEO, Rob Cotter, and features special guest Felipe Witchger, Executive Director for the Francesco Collaborative.

This episode dives into the powerful connection between mission-driven business and values-based investment.

Felipe, an early ELF owner and Organic Transit investor, discusses:

• His initial appreciation for the ELF vehicle as a solution to climate, health, and community challenges.

• The vision of the Francesco Collaborative which seeks to connect finance with Catholic social teaching to support entrepreneurs building companies with social and environmental transformation at their core.

• Why the Organic Transit opportunity is uniquely compelling, having already completed an initial phase and demonstrating tenacity and product quality.

• His philosophy of tracking investments based on a "livable future return" alongside financial return, highlighting the tangible impact of investing in the Elf for his own family and community.

Rob and Felipe also discuss the significance of crowdfunding platforms like WeFunder in attracting retail investors who share the company's vision and are driven by a complementary, values-based agenda, which protects the company's mission from the pressures of typical venture capital.

Join Solar Cycle Podcast host Justin Starbird and Organic Transit CEO Rob Cotter as they dive deep into the company’s innovative relaunch strategy, focusing on community-based crowdfunding and the ambitious plan to finally match production with massive global interest.

In this episode, you’ll hear:

• Why Organic Transit chose Wefunder crowdfunding over traditional venture capital to build a passionate community of "ambassadors."
• The business challenges of scaling production for a vehicle with high demand, and the plan to use investment capital for customer financing.
• A look at the new ELF 3.0, the milestones ahead, and the plan for decentralized manufacturing across the country and the world.
• How the "world's most efficient solar-powered vehicle" has become a vital mobility solution for the disabled community, including veterans and people with visual impairments.

Tune in to learn how you can own a piece of the future of transport and help Organic Transit complete its incredible comeback story.

How do you build the world's most efficient solar-powered vehicle?

Join Solar Cycle Podcast host Justin Starbird and Organic Transit CEO and Co-Founder Rob Cotter as they dive deep into the design, manufacturing, and groundbreaking features of the three-wheeled, solar-pedal electric vehicle known as the ELF.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

• The initial inspiration: designing a vehicle to appeal to the "Whole Foods customer" and fill the critical gap between a bike and a small car like a Honda Civic.
• The innovative engineering that allows the ELF to be light, aerodynamic, and simple enough to ship as a flat pack.
• The business challenges of sourcing solar panels, including navigating supply chain issues with defective units.
• The pioneering safety features, including a safety cell and a lightweight design engineered to "leave the scene of the accident."

A first look at the new ELF 3.0, featuring full suspension and pre-curved solar panels, with a base model aiming for an accessible price point of around $7,500.

This is the new product overview you have been waiting for from Organic Transit and their plans for the 2026 ELF!

The world's most efficient solar-powered vehicle is making a massive comeback!

Join Solar Cycle Podcast host Justin Starbird as he sits down with Organic Transit CEO and Co-Founder Rob Cotter to uncover the incredible true story behind the three-wheeled, solar-pedal electric vehicle known as the ELF.

In this episode, you’ll discover:

The genius of the ELF: a two-passenger, 160-pound vehicle that's safer than a bicycle and achieves the equivalent of an astonishing 1,800 miles per gallon.

How the company scaled, delivering 850 ELFs globally and logging over 10 million miles of clean travel.

The dramatic crisis: a promised Series A investment that vanished, leading to a hostile takeover and the company’s downfall.

The inspiring fight back: how Rob Cotter bought back the original company and is now fueling its relaunch with a passionate community crowdfunding campaign on Wefunder.

Tune in to hear the complete story of the ELF's history and its exciting path forward.

Welcome to The Solar Cycle Podcast, powered by Organic Transit, the pioneer behind the ELF, the world’s most advanced solar-electric pedal vehicle.

Join your host, Rob Cotter, Founder of Organic Transit and Entrepreneur, and Storyteller, Justin Starbird, as they explore how clean mobility, human-powered transport, and resilient urban design are reshaping our future. From breakthrough technologies and sustainable manufacturing to policy, culture, and community, we’re diving into the people and ideas driving transportation forward, one pedal, one watt, and one story at a time.

Organic Transit has always believed that transportation should be healthy, efficient, and accessible. And today, with new momentum, new models, and a passionate community behind the movement, The Solar Cycle brings you inside the journey, the wins, the challenges, and the innovations that matter.

So whether you’re a founder, an innovator, an environmental advocate, or just someone curious about a better way to move through the world…

You’re in the right place. Let’s ride.