 |
Gogoro, Taiwan's leading electric motorcycle manufacturer, has offered free licensing of its battery-swap system, in order to encourage other players joining the market.
The decision was announced by Horace Luke, chief executive of Gogoro, during a conference for new product release on Jan. 31.
The policy is expected to alleviate the backlash to the decision by the government to employ Gogoro's system as the standard for its plan to assist local firms establishing electric motorcycle battery swap stations, according to which other players will have to pay licensing fees to Gogoro. KYMCO, a leading motorcycle producer, protested, saying that it will develop its own specifications for motorcycle battery and battery-swap standard, as an alternative to Gogoro's system.
Luke pointed out that free licensing for Gogoro's battery swap system is available to anyone who employs Gogoro battery, swap system, and control unit in manufacturing electric motorcycles, expressing wish to join hands with other players in tapping the markets of Southeast Asia and India under the arrangement.
Gogoro statistics show that cost for riding Gogoro electric motorcycles reaches only NT$1.3 per kilometer for a driving distance of 600 kilometers a month, compared with NT$1.44 for fuel-oil motorcycles, or NT$1.2 for driving distance of 1,000 kilometers, 15% lower than fuel-oil motorcycles.
Gogoro has set up over 500 battery swap stations in Taiwan, offering over 30,000 battery swaps a day for over 53,000 owners of its motorcycles. Luke noted that its dealership outlets and battery swap stations will be doubled this year, adding that the company is planning to extend its reach to eastern Taiwan.
Gogoro's energy network plan
Should other players accept Gogoro's offer, Gogoro will benefit from sales of its control unit, which will multiply, as well as sharp increase in the sales of its batteries.
Gogoro has set sight on the establishment of an energy network in the long term, not only supporting battery swap but also supplying spare batteries at swap stations for emergency relief and supplementing power supply at peak times.
(Collaborative media: TechNews, photos courtesy of TechNews).
