2013 Motorcycle Taiwan and EV Taiwan Showcase Innovative Products by Exhibitors
2013/07/15 | By Quincy LiangFour-in-one show revs up sales with record buyer, exhibitor turnouts
The 8th Taiwan International Motorcycle Industry Show (2013 Motorcycle Taiwan) and 3rd Taiwan Int'l Electric Vehicle Show (EV Taiwan 2013), were held simultaneously from April 10-13 at the Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC) Exhibition Hall 1.
The two shows were held in conjunction with two other major annual events: the 29th Taipei Int'l Auto Parts & Accessories Show (2013 TAIPEI AMPA) and 8th Taipei International Automobile Electronics Show (2013 AutoTronics Taipei), creating for event-packed days for the automotive industry.
According to show organizer Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA), the four-in-one exhibition attracted a total of 65,000 domestic and overseas business visitors. The combined event set several new records this year, including numbers of exhibitors and booths (1,350 and 3,630, respectively), number of international buyers (6,813 from 130 nations), and number of buyers. The event also generated over US$1.3 billion in on-site and potential sales.
Juang Jan-pei, managing director of the Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers' Association (TTVMA), said at the opening ceremony that Taiwan's motorcycle industry is internationally renowned for its small-batch, large-variety production mode, high quality level, and innovative product design, and achieving high growth in the international market. Even during the global economic downturn, exports of Taiwan-made motorcycle and scooter parts have continued to grow. In 2012, for example, Taiwan's exports of powered two-wheeler (PTW) parts grew by 5.4% over the previous year to hit NT$194.8 billion (US$6.5 billion). Major export markets for locally made auto parts include the U.S. (36.5%), European Union (13.8%), Japan (6.9%), and China (5.9%); while major export product categories include body parts, auto lamps, tires, wheel rims, bumpers, side mirrors, sheet-metal body parts, electrical parts, and radiators.
In addition, the local motorcycle industry is making headway in brand-marketing and original design manufacturing (ODM). Building on a solid foundation, the industry aims to make breakthroughs in product innovation and technology, including bigger and cleaner powertrains, he added. Though the overall assembled-PTW export volume from Taiwan in 2012 dropped slightly due to weaker demand from Europe, exports of over-250cc PTWs still increased by 30%.
EV Taiwan
Building on the success of last two EV Taiwan events, this year's show focused on the major changes occurring in the EV market and industry. The show is one of the few exhibitions dedicated exclusively to the EV industry across the supply chain.
Participants in the 3rd EV Taiwan included nearly every major Taiwanese maker of assembled EVs, key systems, lithium-ion battery and pack manufacturers, as well as several high-profile names such as All Win Green, Pihsiang, Tung Keng, Delta Electronics, Fukuta Elec. & Mach., Luxgen, Chroma ATE, Yulon Tobe, Kentfa Advanced Technology, Greentrans (CMC Motor), Teco Group, CityPower Taiwan, Taiwan Automotive Research Consortium (TARC) and TD Hitech Energy.
The Taiwan government has chosen EVs as one of the four "Intelligent Industries" slated for special development. It has also provided resources such as EV pilot programs in major cities on the island to help integrate EVs with public transportation networks and the power grid. These efforts have fueled rapid development of Taiwan-made assembled EVs, including electric bicycles and scooters and plug-in cars and buses. The government has also been helping other related industries to participate in the growth of the local EV industry.
Forged 4-piston Brake Caliper
Among the many local companies showcasing their latest, innovative and attractive products at this year's Motorcycle Taiwan and EV Taiwan was Che Li Wu Co., Ltd.
Che Li Wu's products include one-way piston calipers, double-side two-piston calipers, and up-to-eight-piston calipers. The company makes its high performance aluminum alloy brake calipers with forging, gravity casting, and CNC shaping techniques. The firm makes calipers with all types of cylinder designs, including direct-push master cylinders, side-push master cylinders, and brake-wheel cylinders.
At this year's EV Taiwan, Che Li Wu showcased its HF-7 performance brake caliper for large-displacement (over 400cc) scooters. The high-end aluminum-alloy forged calipers have high hardness for safety and durability and large pistons to optimize braking force. They are also anodized for strength and come in different color options.
Top-end Forged Wheels
Wukawa Industry Co., Ltd. was founded in 1993 as a producer of PTW electrical parts and exhaust system parts. Building on a reputation for quality and reasonable pricing, the firm is diversifying into innovative new product lines and developing customized services for global customers.
This year, the firm exhibited its K- and J-type aluminum forged wheels for major Japanese motorcycle brands Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki and Kawasaki. The company claims that the forged wheels are lightweight, strong, have excellent heat dissipation, improve steering performance and fuel efficiency, and reduce carbon emissions. The wheels have passed TUV, JWL and DOT certifications.
Camera- & Wiper-Helmet
HaiHao Technology Co. Ltd. is a young and innovative company dedicated to improving the safety of PTW riders worldwide. The company has gained a solid foothold in the helmet wiper market and is diversifying into other eye-catching products for motorcyclist protection.
In the past three years, HaiHao has developed a series of touch-control wiper helmet models with a sophisticated miniature electrical wiper system. The helmet has a single-arm automotive wiper system that contains the electronic controller, wiper mechanism, and power supply inside a compact space.
The firm's latest produce is a patented universal-type wiper system for motorcycle helmets that can be mounted on about 95% of all full- or open-face helmets on the market. The system affixes to helmets with suction cups that have a special built-in mechanism to prevent loosening. The system can be installed in three minutes and removed in just one minute. Both the device and the wiper arm have adjustable mechanisms to fit the helmet body and the visor so PTW riders can enjoy a clear view on rainy, dusty, or snowy days.
This year, HaiHao showcases a camera helmet with an up to 1920 x 1080P-resolution hidden camera or digital video recorder (DVR), and a wiper system built into a frame on the helmet. The company says that the cam/wiper helmet is shock- and water-proof. More, the camera has a super-wide view angle of up to 140-degree, 20 hours of camera operation time, circular records and time data, and a maximum memory capacity of 32GB.
The innovative cam/wiper helmet has been enthusiastically received, especially among professional end users such as policemen, postmen, express delivery personnel, reporters, detectives, adventurers, trainers and others.
Racing Piston Rings
Japon Traffic Tech Corp.'s racing piston rings for four-stroke engine provide a quick, convenient and cost-effective way to boost PTW engine horsepower by 10%.
Established in 1992, the company has introduced advanced piston-ring manufacturing technology from a Japanese partner. It also cooperates closely with Taiwan's Industrial Technology Research Institute (ITRI) and well-known universities to jointly develop and make its racing piston rings, which feature improved heat resistance and fatigue resistance that can increase engine horsepower performance under most demanding operating environments.
Japon's racing piston rings undergo a number of specialized processes to relieve work-piece residual stress (including quenching stress, working stress etc.), improve microstructure, increase wear resistance, and extend tensile strength and ductility.
Big-displacement Motorcycle with CVT
Dinli Metal Industrial Co., a major all terrain vehicle (ATV) exporter in Taiwan, showcased its latest 800cc (752cc) motorcycle models at the 2013 Motorcycle Taiwan. The new bikes are the company's biggest-displacement motorcycles with a continuous variable transmission (CVT).
Dinli is a local pioneer in developing over-700cc engines for ATVs. The firm's 800cc ATVs are powered by the same engine in France, Germany, Sweden and Russia. The company also adopts the engine and its CVT system on the motorcycle model, along with an automatic transmission to make riding easier for women and seniors
Dinli has announced plan to launch the 800cc motorcycle in Taiwan soon. The company expects to sell some 8,000 units per year (including 4,000 in Taiwan and 4,000 abroad). It stresses that the new model costs only about half as much as the same-displacement Japanese counterparts. Dinli also plans to launch a 1,100cc motorcycle at a yet undetermined date.
Headquartered in Taichung, central Taiwan, Dinli was founded as a motorcycle and engine maker. The company began producing ATVs in 1996. Today, it globally markets its products under the 'Dinli' brand.
EV Charging Equipment
Founded in 1969, Fortune Electric Co., Ltd. is one of the world's leading developers and manufacturers of power transformers and electrical apparatuses. The company has expanded into the development and production of smart grid solutions, renewable energy systems and the electric vehicle supply equipment (EVSE).
At the 2013 EV Taiwan, the company's EVSE team showcased a complete line of AC charging stations, including pedestal and wall-mounted types. The firm claims that its engineers are able to evaluate and response promptly to the requirements for a customized on-board or off-board DC chargers for various applications.
Brushless DC Motors and Driver with Electronic Automatic Transmission
Mobiletron Electronics Co., Ltd., a major aftermarket automotive-electronic component supplier in Taiwan, showcased a 48V rim motor and 48V integrated brushless motor both with two-speed electronic transmission at the show this year.
The company's patented high-efficiency electronic drivers can be matched with 0.5kW to 7kW brushless motors for various vehicle applications. The matched motors can be configured to output higher speed or higher torque without the need of complicated speed-reduction mechanisms.
The rim motor, for example, can produce either 800W or 1,500W output. The hybrid-IC motor is compact, lightweight, and delivers torque and acceleration for a maximum speed of 60 kph, making it suitable for use in electric scooters. With the two-speed automatic transmission, the motor is an excellent hill climber and has the longest range in its class of e-scooters. The motor can cruise over 100 kilometers on a fully-charged 40 Ah lithium battery pack, the company claims.
Mobiletron is building on its solid foothold in the global AM automotive ignition parts market through developed of numerous new products, including a multimedia intelligent rearview mirror, tire pressure monitoring systems (TPMS) for various vehicle types, and high-end sensors. The company is publicly-listed in Taiwan and has invested in the Taiwan-based RAC Electric Vehicles Inc. to venture into the e-bus market.
Revolutionary Two-Wheeler with Replaceable Utility Module
TUM CREATE, a joint electro-mobility research project between two world-leading universities, Germany's Technische Universitat Munchen (TUM) and Singapore's
Nanyang Technological University (NTU), unveiled the VOI multi-purpose scooter, a revolutionary two-wheeler, at this year's EV Taiwan.
The design brief for the VOI was to develop a two-wheel transporter that is as agile and affordable as a scooter and, at the same time, as safe and comfortable as a car. With its compact size and maneuverability, the two-wheel electric scooter is designed as a transporter for densely populated megacities and offers a comprehensive solution to metropolises where traffic congestion is a major problem.
Positioning the rider behind allows for a compact design and the use of an enclosed passenger cabin that shields occupants from the elements. The enclosure also offers added rigidity and stiffness to the vehicle chassis, which can aid in passenger protection.
The VOI enables a quick, comfortably and safe commute through gridlock or provide 'first/last mile' transportation to and from rail and other public transport systems.
In addition, the VOI's modular front pod can be swapped for a cargo box or even a mobile kitchen, adding to the scooter's versatility.