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On June 12, KYMCO, Taiwan's leading motorcycle manufacturer, unveiled two electric-motorcycle models, New Many 110 EV and Nice 110 EV, in a bid to take over 50% share of the local electric-motorcycle market and overtake Gogoro becoming champion of the market in 2019.
The company debuted the two models at Taipei Arena, offering appealing price tags of NT$42,800 and NT$29,800, respectively, after deduction of government subsidies.
Furnished with a free white retrievable battery, the electric motorcycles have a core power source, enabling the vehicles to ride at 30 km/hour for 25 kilometers, when the retrievable battery is taken out for recharging. There is a compartment beneath the footboard, capable accommodating two retrievable batteries, each weighing 5 kilos. The footboard can be opened simply by pressing a button for retrieving the batteries, which can be recharged with charging sockets, given by the company, or at household sockets. When traveling on streets, riders can exchange batteries with used-up power with charged ones at energy swap stations or have them recharged at fast charging stations. A five-year warranty is available for core power source, 10-year warranty for motor, and permanent warranty for retrievable batteries.
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(Retrievable batteries deposited beneath the footboard)
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(Retrievable batteries can be removed easily)
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(Charging retrievable battery with affiliated charging socket)
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(Charging battery at household socket)
Ko Sheng-feng, KYMCO chairman, pointed out that having put in place 1,500 fast charging stations, the company will set up 2,000 energy swap stations in 2019 and 30,000 common charging sockets at public sites in 2020, under the auspices of the "Inoex" vehicle-energy network. It takes only one hour, at NT$10, for recharging battery at fast charging stations, compared with NT$40 for leasing a charged battery at energy swap stations, good for riding 40 kilometers within 24 hours, with additional charge of NT$40 for overtime use. It costs only NT$299 for leasing a retrievable battery for riding 1,000 kilometers for one month, with additional charge of NT$1 per kilometer for exceeding the distance.
Ko Sheng-feng set a target of 50% share of the electric-motorcycle market for the company in 2019, challenging the status of Gogoro. KYMCO aims to roll out 10 electric-motorcycle models within three years, including common heavy-duty one and large heavy-duty one. The company plans to set up the "Ionex" vehicle energy network in 10 cities worldwide by the end of 2018, to be expanded to 20 within three years. Ko also unveiled an electric-motorcycle green community program, setting up energy swap stations at community parking lots.
New Many 110 EV boasts a compartment capable of accommodating three standby retrievable batteries, sufficient for 200 kilometers of cruising range. It is furnished a "Noodoe" navigation function, including instruction for locating charging stations and convenience stores nearby. Lightweight body of Nice 100 EV facilitates navigation and parking amid congested traffic of urban areas and enlarged front space and seat make for convenient deposit of belongings and comfortable riding.
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(Charged batteries are available for lease at energy swap stations)
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(Noodoe navigation system facilitates location of charging stations nearby)
Scheduled to hit the market in Aug., New Many 110 EV is priced at NT$74,800, or NT$79,800 for the version with Noodoe navigation device, which drop to NT$42,800 and NT$47,800, respectively, after deducting subsidy for those buyers who buy the motorcycle as replacement of old-fashioned motorcycles with two-cycle engine. Scheduled to hit the market in Oct., Nice 100 EV bears a price tag of NT$61,800, which drops to NT$29,800 after taking the subsidy into account.