E-Bikes Overtake the Horse and Buggy in Amish Country

Summary

WSJ Tech News Briefing: E-Bikes Overtake the Horse and Buggy in Amish Country

Release Date: April 11, 2025
Host: Victoria Craig
Author: The Wall Street Journal

The latest episode of WSJ Tech News Briefing, hosted by Victoria Craig, delves into two prominent stories shaping the tech landscape: Elon Musk's contentious stance against President Trump's tariff policies and the transformative impact of electric bikes (E-bikes) within the Amish community in Holmes County, Ohio. This comprehensive summary explores these topics in detail, highlighting key discussions, insights, and notable quotes from industry insiders.

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Elon Musk Clashes with the Trump Administration Over Tariffs

The Tariff Tensions

The episode opens with a focus on the escalating tensions between Elon Musk, CEO of Tesla and SpaceX, and the Trump administration following President Trump's implementation of new tariffs. These tariffs have stirred significant unease in global financial markets and have directly impacted Musk’s business operations.

Victoria Craig introduces the conflict:

“President Trump's tariffs have sent angst through global financial markets this year and ruffled the feathers of so-called first buddy tech billionaire Elon Musk.” (00:00)

Navarro’s Critique and Musk’s Retort

Peter Navarro, the White House's trade advisor, criticized Tesla's dependency on overseas components, specifically highlighting the origins of Tesla’s batteries and electronics. In response, Musk did not hold back, publicly condemning Navarro.

During a CNBC interview, Navarro remarked:

“The batteries come from Japan and the electronics come from Taiwan...” (01:42)

Musk’s reaction was swift and sharp:

“Truly a moron and dumber than a sack of bricks.” (02:01)

This exchange underscores the friction between the administration’s protectionist policies and Musk’s global business model.

Impact on Tesla and Global Trade

Victoria Craig elaborates on Musk’s concerns:

“Tesla is a homegrown US Automaker. Its Model Y is seen as perhaps among the most American-made cars out there. But still, Tesla is a global automaker. It depends heavily on its business in China...” (02:28)

She emphasizes that a trade war adversely affects Tesla’s operations and underscores the broader implications for global companies reliant on international trade.

Potential Rift and Future Implications

The discussion shifts to the potential long-term effects of this public disagreement. Tim Higgins highlights:

“The President said that Musk will leave the administration, 'in a couple of months'.” (03:42)

Victoria Craig provides insight into the relationship dynamics:

“There is clearly an off-ramp being developed for Musk to maybe dial back some of his involvement at the White House.” (04:03)

Despite the tensions, current indications suggest that both parties are still collaborating, although Musk is likely to reduce his role in the administration to focus on his business ventures.

NASA Nomination Hearing for Jared Isaacman

Adding another layer to Musk’s influence, the episode covers the nomination hearing of Jared Isaacman for NASA leadership. Elon Musk played a pivotal role in supporting Isaacman’s nomination, reflecting his vision for space exploration.

Tim Higgins asks:

“But was his vision Isaacman's slightly at odds with Musk's in the end, during his testimony?” (05:27)

Victoria Craig responds:

“Isaacman supports the idea of going to Mars, but he's also very aware of the politics around returning to the moon.” (05:55)

This balanced stance aims to align with both Musk’s ambition for Mars and the political support for lunar missions, ensuring Isaacman’s position benefits Musk’s broader space exploration goals.

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E-Bikes Revolutionize Transportation in Amish Country

Amish Community’s Relationship with Technology

Transitioning to the second major story, the episode explores the adoption of E-bikes within the Amish community of Berlin, Ohio—the world's second-largest Amish settlement. Traditionally wary of technology, the Amish evaluate new tools based on their impact on faith, family, and community.

Scott Calvert, WSJ reporter, explains:

“They have a general sort of wariness when it comes to adopting technology. They're not anti-technology, but they want to see what it will do to their faith, their family, their community.” (08:21)

Surge in E-Bike Adoption

Calvert observes a significant uptick in E-bike usage:

“When you're on a fairly big road, you will not have to wait long before you see some Amish person riding by on their E-bike.” (08:49)

A local bike shop owner notes the trend began around 2016 and has since dominated their sales:

“At this point, replacing E-bikes, his shop, 95% of what they sell are E-bikes.” (10:13)

Reasons Behind the Adoption

The primary driver for E-bike adoption is convenience. Many Amish have transitioned from agricultural work to manufacturing, requiring reliable transportation for longer distances and challenging terrains.

Victoria Craig summarizes:

“The E bike is seen as a convenient option that pretty quickly pays for itself over a relatively short period of time.” (10:24)

Divisions Within the Community

Despite the benefits, the introduction of E-bikes has sparked debate within the Amish community. Concerns center not on the technology itself but on its potential to disrupt family structures and community cohesion.

Calvert discusses the apprehensions:

“The concern is that it makes it very easy for people to go off in their own direction... undermines that family unity.” (11:26)

This division highlights the delicate balance the Amish maintain between embracing beneficial technologies and preserving their traditional values.

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Conclusion

The episode of WSJ Tech News Briefing provides an insightful examination of how technological advancements and political policies intersect, impacting both global business dynamics and deeply rooted communities. Elon Musk’s public dispute with the Trump administration over tariffs illustrates the complexities faced by global tech entrepreneurs in navigating protectionist policies. Meanwhile, the Amish community’s selective adoption of E-bikes underscores the nuanced ways technology can influence and transform traditional lifestyles.

By presenting these stories with detailed analysis and firsthand accounts, the briefing offers listeners a comprehensive understanding of current tech trends and their broader societal implications.

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Notable Contributors:

• Victoria Craig: Host, The Wall Street Journal
• Tim Higgins: WSJ Columnist
• Scott Calvert: WSJ Reporter

Production Team:

• Julie Chang: Producer
• Jess Jupiter & Matthew Walls: Additional Support
• Jessica Fenton & Michael Lavalle: Theme Music
• Emily Martosi: Supervising Producer
• Aisha Al Muslim: Development Producer
• Scott Salloway & Chris Zinsley: Deputy Editors
• Falana Patterson: Head of News Audio, The Wall Street Journal

Transcript

[Victoria Craig]

Viking committed to exploring the world in comfort. Journey through the heart of Europe on an elegant Viking longship with thoughtful service, cultural enrichment and all inclusive fairs.

[Tim Higgins]

Discover [e-mail] hey T&B listeners, before we get started, a heads up. We're going to be asking you a question at the top of each show for the next few weeks. Our goal here at Tech News Briefing is to keep you updated with the latest headlines and trends on all things tech. Now we want to know more about you, what's what you like about the show and what more you'd like to be hearing from us. So our question this week is how important are the latest tech headlines to you? If you're listening on Spotify, look for our poll under the episode description or you can send us an email to tnbsj.com now onto the show. Welcome to Tech News briefing. It's Friday, April 11th. I'm Victoria Craig for the Wall Street Journal. President Trump's tariffs have sent angst through global financial markets this and ruffled the feathers of so called first buddy tech billionaire Elon Musk. Then electric bikes are a divisive technology in big cities where cyclists sometimes decline to obey traffic rules. And in the world's second largest Amish community, we'll take you there. To find out why they've become so controversial, we start with Elon Musk. He made clear his opposition to the White House tariff policy this week, which landed him in hot water with the administration's trade advisor, Peter Navarro. During an interview with cnbc, Navarro implied that Elon's electric car company, Tesla, relies too much on components from overseas markets.

[Victoria Craig]

The batteries come from Japan and come from China. The electronics come from Taiwan. The tires come what what we want. And the difference is in our thinking and Elon's on this is that we want the tires made in Akron. We want the transmissions made in Indianapolis.

[Tim Higgins]

To catch us up on the latest turbulence in D.C. our columnist Tim Higgins joins us as part of our series looking at Musk's first 100 days in the Trump White House. So Tim Musk has been quite the critic this week. After Navarro's comments on cnbc, Musk responded with sharp words describing Navarro as, quote, truly a moron and dumber than a sack of bricks. What is Musk's concern about Trump's tariff policy? When it comes down to it, Musk.

[Victoria Craig]

Isn'T supporting these tariffs. He wants free trade. He's supported that for a long time. And it also kind of illustrates the tensions within kind of the Trump mega tent that is made very large in the past year to bring in a lot of supporters that people are at the opposite ends on some of these issues. And Musk in the Silicon Valley tech bro, a part of that wing is definitely at odds with some part of the more conservative part of the wing that wants to have more protectionism, has this idea of bringing manufacturing into the US and that's not to say that Musk isn't about US Made products. Tesla is a homegrown US Automaker. Its Model Y is seen as being perhaps among if not the most American made cars out there. But still, Tesla is a global automaker. It depends heavily on its business in China where it has a giant assembly factory, it has a factory in Germany. A trade war is not good for Tesla. It is not good for global companies that depend on kind of back and forth trade.

[Tim Higgins]

And Elon Musk has really been a fixture as we've talked many times in the second Trump administration. But will this public criticism that he's had about what really is a hallmark so far of President Trump's second term, these tariffs, could that cause a further rift because the President said that Musk will leave the administration, quote, in a couple of months.

[Victoria Craig]

It's interesting. The White House was asked about the rift and it was kind of chalked up to boys being boys. The comments to going back and forth between Musk and Navarro an illustration that all sides of debate are occurring and they're not only occurring at the White House, but in the public view. It is to your point though, one of the unique ways in which Musk has broken with Trump in a very public way. It doesn't seem just yet as if Trump and Musk are taking the break much further. We still see them working together. There is clearly though, an off ramp being developed for Musk to maybe dial back some of his involvement at the White House. He is a special government employee. That is a 130 day window of time. It is clear that the White House and Musk seem to be signaling that when that comes to an end, he's going to take a step back. He has many companies to run. Tesla is facing its own challenges and Musk has been spending a lot of time at the White House complex the last few months and, and investors of his companies would probably like to see him spend some of that time in Austin where Tesla is headquartered, or in south Texas where SpaceX has its launch facility.

[Tim Higgins]

We talked earlier this week on the show about the nomination hearing for Jared Isaacman to head up NASA. Elon Musk was very influential in getting his friend and fellow billionaire nominated to that post. But was his vision Isaacman's slightly at odds with Musk's in the end, during his testimony? Musk's vision, of course, is for a strong push to prioritize a manned mission to Mars over a return of the moon. How did the hearing go on Capitol Hill for Isaacman?

[Victoria Craig]

Well, Isaacman supports the idea of going to Mars, but it seems as if he's also very aware of the politics around returning to the moon. There's several senators who are very interested in that mission, and he voiced support for both the moon and Mars. And maybe that is some savvy politics on his part. It's important to keep Congress happy. At the end of the day, though, having somebody like him in NASA is important for Musk and his broader vision. It's clearly an ally, clearly somebody who subscribes to the ideas and ideals of what SpaceX is all about. He's been an investor. He's also been essentially a client of SpaceX. And and so I don't read it as some sort of major break or a bad sign for Musk, but rather Isaac man playing politics.

[Tim Higgins]

That was WSJ columnist Tim Higgins. Coming up, when to embrace technology and when not to How Ohio's Amish community is split on the use of E bikes that story after the break.

[Scott Calvert]

I was never really a runner. The way I see running is a gift, especially when you have stage four cancer. I'm Ann. I'm running the Boston Marathon. Presented by bank of America. I run for Dana Farber Cancer Institute to give people like me a chance to thrive in life, even with cancer. Join bank of America in helping Anne's cause. Give, if you can, at B of A Com supportan what would you like.

[Tim Higgins]

The power to do? References to charitable organizations is not endorsement by bank of America Corporation. Copyright 2025. People in Big cities like New York and London lament the widespread use of electric bikes. Often that's because users ditch the bikes in bushes, abandoned them in the middle of the sidewalk, or whiz through red lights at top speed. In one part of Ohio, though, people are wary of E bike adoption for completely different reasons. WSJ reporter Scott Calvert traveled to Berlin, Ohio, where E bikes have become ubiquitous on the hilly roads of the world's second biggest Amish settlement. Scott for our listeners who aren't as familiar with the Amish community, just explain their general relationship with technology.

[Scott Calvert]

Sure. So they have a general sort of wariness when it comes to adopting technology. They're not anti technology, but the way that they look at it is they want to see what will it do to their faith, their family, their community. And if they think that there's going to be a benefit, then they are willing to consider adopting it.

[Tim Higgins]

And so what's particularly interesting now is that E bikes have surged in popularity among people in this community, particularly young people. How widespread is the adoption?

[Scott Calvert]

It's very widespread. So when you are there, if you're on a fairly big road, you will not have to wait long before you see some Amish person riding by on their E bike. And particularly in the mornings and in the afternoons when people are riding them to work to jobs, you will see a fairly steady stream of people on e bikes. In Holmes County, Ohio, which is the second largest Amish community in the country, and the world for that matter, there are several groups within that umbrella, and some of the more conservative groups are very restrictive when it comes to technology. And in the context of bikes, they don't allow pedal bikes or electric bikes. Then there is this group called Old Order, which is a majority of that community. And most of the Old Order districts, which are sort of like parishes or congregations, they have approved electric bikes. And then there is a group called New Order. It's a little bit complicated, but they permit pedal bikes, but not the electric kind.

[Tim Higgins]

And you talked to one bike shop owner who really put this surge in interest in perspective.

[Scott Calvert]

Yeah, so he said it really started about a decade ago, and he pins it to 2016. And he said that it just kind of went wild then. Everybody wanted them. That's really when this sort of surge began. And it sort of has increased since then. People are saying that there are constantly more and more people who are buying E bikes, and at this point, replacing E bikes, his shop, 95% of what they sell are E bikes.

[Tim Higgins]

And given what you explained about this relationship to technology and wanting to use certain kinds and not others, what's sort of the idea behind making e bikes an acceptable form of transportation?

[Scott Calvert]

It's really convenience is what it comes down to, because increasingly, a lot of Amish people in this community have come off the family farm. They're working in this growing manufacturing sector. Oftentimes their work is five or ten miles away. And so if they didn't have the E bike, they could ride a pedal bike, but it's very hilly. They could go by horse and buggy, but that's slow. Or basically, these companies often supply vans, and so they could ride in the company van. They're not allowed to drive cars Amish, but they can ride, but that costs several dollars a day, and so that's expensive. So the E bike is seen as a convenient option that pretty quickly pays for itself over a relatively short period of time.

[Tim Higgins]

I'm a fellow E Bike owner myself, so I can certainly attest to the convenience of it. But I think what's important to point out with this story too is that not everyone is thrilled with this widespread, can we call it, adoption of E bikes within this community? And it isn't about the power usage that these bikes have. It's more what the E bikes symbolize and what they could really do to family structures within the communities. Right?

[Scott Calvert]

That's right. One thing people sometimes don't understand is that for many Amish, there are a fair amount of appliances that they have at home. So they use like natural gas or solar to power things like refrigerators and stoves and washing machines. They don't connect to the electric grid because they want to maintain some separation from the wider world. They don't drive cars, but they do use technology. And you'll see it at these companies. They have these generator powered tools that they use. But when it comes to the E bikes, it's not the power source, but it's sort of what it allows. It's this concern about the impact on the family, on the community. And so for the people who are critical of the E bikes and don't support them, the concern is that it makes it very easy for people to go off in their own direction. It's easy for teenagers to go places without parental supervision and maybe get into things they shouldn't. And so the flip side of the convenience is a concern that it just creates this sort of family separation and undermines that family unity.

[Tim Higgins]

That was WSJ reporter Scott Calvert. And that's it for Tech News Briefing. Today's show was produced by Julie Chang. I'm your host, Victoria Craig. Additional support this week from Jess Jupiter and Matthew Walls. Jessica Fenton and Michael Lavalle wrote our theme music. Our supervising producer is Emily Martosi. Our development producer is Aisha Al Muslim. Scott Salloway and Chris Zinsley are the deputy editors. And Falana Patterson is the Wall Street Journal's head of news audio. We'll be back this afternoon with TNV Tech Minute. Thanks for listening.