3 E-scooter Models Pass TES to Qualify for Gov't Subsidy for Sales in Taiwan

Three e-scooter models from domestic maker, including China Motor Corp. (CMC), Kwang Yang Motor Co., Ltd. (KYMCO), and E-Ton Power Tech Co., Ltd., recently passed the Taiwan E-scooter Standard (TES) to win a NT$8,000 (US$250 at US$1: NT$32) from the Industrial Development Bureau (IDB) under the Ministry of Economic Affairs (MOEA) for each unit sold on the island.

CMC, an affiliate of the Yulon Group and the local assembler of Mitsubishi and Chrysler car models, has been the most aggressive player in the e-scooter business among counterparts. The company claimed that it aims to sell 5,000 units of its e-moving e-scooter model this year.

E-Ton plans to sell its e-MO e-scooters in northern Taiwan and produce about 1,000 units per month initially. According to E-Ton, its e-MO light e-scooter model weighs only 50kg with the battery pack, has 14-inch aluminum front and rear wheels, cruises about 40 to 45 km, and has a top speed of 45 kph (kilometer per hour) as well as two gears: power for speedy ride and standard for normal riding.

E-Ton's market assistant vice president Lai Jun-ji pointed out that his company aims to sell 10,000 e-MOs this year at home and abroad. More than 80% of the exports will go to major markets such as France, Germany, Austria, Norway and Denmark. From August, he added, E-Ton would kick off shipment to Japan as well.

E-Ton is scheduled to launch its second e-scooter model in the first quarter of 2011.

KYMCO's manager Chen Fu-an pointed out that his company would move to sell the first e-scooter product, the Sunboy, at more than 3,600 KYMCO powered two-wheeler (PTW) sales points throughout Taiwan in June. Among sales points island-wide, some 108 points have owned e-scooter repair and maintenance equipment.

KYMCO originally estimated that it could sell about 3,000 e-scooters in Taiwan this year, but the company recently adjusted down the sales goal to 2,000 units. The company is also working on its second e-scooter model.

The Environmental Protection Administration (EPA) has chosen some offshore islands, including Green Island, Kinmen, Liuqiu, Penghu, as targeted carbon-free offshore islands. KYMCO's officials said that the company would ship some Sunboys to Green Island for demonstration soon.

KYMCO is scheduled to modify some specifications of its Sunboy e-scooter to meet the riding environment on Green Island.

Taiwan Gov't E-scooter Subsidy Program
Gov't Unit		Subsidy Amount (NT$)		Note
IDB	Financial Year	Light Class	Small/Light Class	CMC, E-Ton, KYMCO already won NT$8,000 subsidy for their products.
	2009	11,000	8,000
	2010	11,000	8,000
	2011	10,000	7,200
	2012	9,000	6,500
EPA		3,000		To subsidize e-scooters for replacement of two-stroke internal combustion engine (ICE) scooters.
Local Gov't		2,000-10,000