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SINGAPORE: Although the COVID-19 pandemic had affected its initial plans, two Singapore-based startups are still accelerating efforts to produce their own electric motorcycles.
This occurs when Singapore relaxed its rules on electric motorcycles in April, allowing high-powered motorcycles with powers of more than 10kW to be on the roads as part of efforts to encourage the adoption of cleaner vehicles.
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The coronavirus outbreak has caused “minor setbacks” in its supply chain, said Scorpio Electric’s acting chief of operations, Muhammad Taureza.
But the brand is still on track to launch its zero-emission all-electric smart motorcycles without “appreciable delay,” he said, adding that its goal is to do so in the middle of this year, or as soon as the COVID-19 situation stabilizes.
Scorpio Electric is a brand under EuroSports Technologies, based in Singapore, which is backed by EuroSports Global, which is listed on SGX.
READ: High-powered electric motorcycles will be allowed on Singapore’s roads beginning in April
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Since March, Scorpio Electric has expanded its facilities in Teban Gardens to 7,000 square meters. The space includes offices and exhibition halls, as well as 4,000 square meters dedicated to a factory and warehouse.
This facility is expected to produce around 8,000 electric motorcycles a year, Dr. Taureza said.
Although the components will be manufactured elsewhere, Scorpio Electric’s bikes will be assembled at its Singapore location, he added.
Scorpio Electric chief technology officer Tham Kwang Sheun noted that making their motorcycles “smart,” using artificial intelligence and data analysis, will allow them to be even more energy efficient.
“That means that when you ride, the bike will really have the intelligence to tell you how you can better plan your trips and how much fuel you will use, taking into account the operating conditions,” he explained.
The goal is also for Scorpio Electric to extend this environmental sustainability to its production line, Mr. Tham said, noting that some of the materials used in motorcycle manufacturing may be replaced by “bio-derived” materials with “some recyclability.”
The move to electric motorcycles is “very promising” in terms of reducing carbon emissions in the region, said Tham, who was previously with the Ground Transportation Authority as head of his autonomous vehicle programs office.
LOOK: Electric motorcycles could hit the roads in the first quarter of 2020 | Video
Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong holding a scale model of a Scorpio Electric smart electric motorcycle at the Singapore Innovation and Technology Week event in November 2019. (Photo: Facebook / Lee Hsien Loong)
GREAT ROLE IN REDUCING EMISSIONS
James Motorcycle, co-founder and CEO of Ion Mobility, which is headquartered in Singapore, said motorcycles in Southeast Asia “are typically lagging on the emissions standards curve.”
The firm’s other co-founder, Joel Chang, was previously with Scorpio Electric as COO before forming Ion Mobility last year.
“In Singapore, ICE (internal combustion engine) motorcycles meet Euro 4 standards, while Indonesia still has Euro 3,” Chan said, referring to the emissions standard introduced by the European Union. The latest standard for motorcycles in Europe is the Euro 5, which went into effect this year.
Motorcycles may appear to have better fuel efficiency, but on average they produce twice as much carbon dioxide per passenger-kilometer during their lifecycles compared to automobiles, Chan said.
Furthermore, particulate matter (PM2.5) from motorcycle emissions is taken into account due to the large number of motorcycles on the region’s roads, he explained, noting that PM2.5 is one of the biggest “culprits in the air pollution”. health costs and premature deaths in Southeast Asia.
Ion Mobility’s electric motorcycles would produce zero tailpipe emissions and would play “an important role” in reducing PM2.5 and the greenhouse gas emissions produced, Chan added.
Southeast Asia is the third largest market for motorcycles in the world after India and China, he noted, adding that there are currently more than 200 million ICE motorcycles across Southeast Asia.
Originally, the company was aiming to offer trial rides and launch pre-orders for its Model 1 electric motorcycles in Jakarta for the third quarter of 2020, although it had to return to the drawing board due to COVID-19.
“Our goal is to launch our Model 1 in Indonesia in early 2021 or earlier, if COVID-19 allows it,” said Chan.
In addition to its headquarters here, which will serve as a regional center for design as well as research and development, Ion Mobility also has offices in Jakarta and Guangzhou. Chan said the company is focused on becoming the leading electric motorcycle company in Southeast Asia.
His goal is to start with Indonesia, where 6.5 million new ICE motorcycles were sold in 2019, with the goal of claiming 1 percent of the Indonesian market within its first two years of sales.
READ: Incentives Likely to Encourage Adoption of Electric Vehicles in Singapore, But Doubts Remain, Analysts Say
Scorpio Electric facilities in Teban Gardens. (Photo: Scorpio Electric)
Scorpio Electric, meanwhile, claims to be a “global brand,” said Dr. Taureza.
“We want to be in the same ranks as Apple and Tesla,” he said, although he noted that this must be done step by step.
As “Singapore’s local brand,” Scorpio Electric’s first priority is the Southeast Asian market, primarily Vietnam, Indonesia and Singapore, he said.
MORE TO DO TO ATTRACT CUSTOMERS
Although electric vehicle (EV) sales have increased in recent years, they are still in the minority and represent only 2% of the total vehicle population worldwide.
“The reason why the absorption of electric vehicles in general, be it cars or motorcycles, is low because the price is expensive, let’s not go around the bush,” said Dr. Taureza, noting that the main reason for this has been been the price of batteries.
However, with the drop in battery prices in recent years, it is only a matter of time before price parity is reached, he added.
To attract consumers, Chan said companies like Ion Mobility have a responsibility to “improve our game and offer an attractive product that provides superior price and performance over ICE equivalents without relying on subsidies.”
While both companies welcomed Singapore’s recent steps to accept electric motorcycles here, Chan believes more can be done.
“Certain categories of electric motorcycles should be allowed to charge from normal power outlets, as long as they are UL2272 certified,” he said, referring to the fire safety standard used in Singapore for personal mobility devices such as electronic scooters.
“Singapore’s touted network of EV charging stations is also zoned for EV cars, not EV motorcycles. It is also necessary to take into account the zoning and charging sockets for EV motorcycles ”, he added.
More refinement is also needed in the categorization of electric motorcycles, which don’t fit perfectly with existing categories of conventional motorcycles, he said.
“Power output and kilowatts is not a one-to-one relationship,” he explained, adding that an “engineer-centered approach” is needed.
READ: Comment: Electric vehicles will take Singapore. But this is what should happen first
MANY ROOMS ON THE MARKET
In 2018, Scorpio Electric secured S $ 2 million from its parent company EuroSports Global, which promised another S $ 3 million if certain milestones were met.
Tham said the firm aims to close another round of financing in the coming months, but declined to provide figures.
“We started our fundraising in January of this year and, despite COVID-19, we have been able to ensure healthy investor demand in these tumultuous times,” said Mr. Chan of Ion Mobility.
He declined to provide figures at this time, but Chan noted that he could launch his motorcycle without raising more funds.
When asked how Ion Mobility would fare against other players in the electric motorcycle market, he said such discussions were “premature.”
“There is plenty of room for all of us to coexist, with each player chasing different market segments,” he said.
“The real competition, the elephant in the room if need be, is consumer preference, which has been honed by what Japanese headlines have offered them in terms of design, price and performance over the years,” added.
Scorpio Electric welcomed the competition, said Dr. Taureza, adding that the competition helps the company “grow and continue to improve.”
He noted that apart from the two new players, traditional manufacturers of traditional motorcycles have also entered the market.
“I think there will be tremendous growth in the EV motorcycle segment next year,” he said.
