Yamaha Taiwan to Produce Light E-Scooter

Yamaha Motor Taiwan Co., the local subsidiary of Yamaha Japan and a major powered two-wheeler (PTW) maker in Taiwan, recently said that it plans to introduce a light electric scooter for local production in 2011.

China Electric Mfg. Corp. (CEM) of Taiwan, a major lighting source and fixture maker on the island, recently also announced to set up an electric-scooter joint venture with local Yuen Foong Industrial Co., Ltd., which once was the local partner of Kawasaki of Japan in motorcycle production.

CEM's vice president H.Y. Dong said that the new venture has developed two, including a light and an ultra-light, electric-scooter models loaded with LiFePO4 lithium-ion batteries supplied by CEM's reinvested Sawtry Technology Ltd. (STL). The two models are being tested by the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) of the Ministry of Economic Affairs and are expected to be launched in Taiwan in 2011.

Kwang Yang Motor Co., Ltd. (KYMCO) and Sanyang Industry Co., Ltd. (SYM) have already launched electric scooters approved by IDB, which are sold in Taiwan under the government's subsidy.

Senior executives of SYM said that about 100 units of the company's E-Star light electric scooters are sold per month, and SYM is working on a performance-upgraded model with a one+one seat that is expected to be launched in Taiwan in the second half of 2011.

KYMCO demonstrated its Sunboy light electric scooter in 2010, and about 500 to 600 Sunboys are sold per month. The company plans to launch an upgraded version, with horse-power up from 3KW to 5 KW or 6KW, in the first half of 2011.

As of late December 2010, China Motor Corp. (CMC), a major automaker in Taiwan, had sold about 4,000 e-moving electric scooters, and aims to sell 20,000 e-scooters in 2011, winning a 50% share in Taiwan.