With the Tokyo Motorcycle show opening shortly,
Taiwanese scooter manufacturer Kymco has released photos of its latest model,
the 2018 Kymco Ionex e-scooter. From a Motorcycle News report, Kymco’s Ionex
overcomes that traditional barriers against adoption of green vehicles looks,
charge time, range and infrastructure.
While several major manufacturers have released
electric motorcycles and scooters (e-bikes), not to mention those that
specialise only in electric two-wheelers such as Zero Motorcycles and Energica,
take up of e-bikes by the general motorcycling public has been slow. However,
Kymco is not deterred, and is planning to release 10 e-bikes with a projected
sales volume of 500,000 units, worldwide.
The Ionex comes with two lightweight batteries
located under the floorboard, removable for charging with the press of a
button. Weighing only 5 kg each, the batteries have several charging options,
including in-bike charging, as well as using consumer electricity where the batteries
are charged in the house or office.
Other options include the Power Outlet Network,
where riders can swap discharged batteries for fully charged units and the
Charge Point Network, where a local business will charge your battery for you
in an hour or so. Another choice is for the rider to rent extra batteries that
can be stored under the Ionex’ seat, extending range to over 200 km between
stops.
What sets the Ionex apart is a permanently installed
third “core” battery, allowing the rider to continue using the e-bike for a
short distance while the two removable batteries are being charged. Kymco has
not released any information on pricing, availability, weight, performance or
range.
