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Dubai firm to launch cost-saving electric motorcycles in the UAE

A Dubai-based start-up plans to launch electric motorcycles next month that could save delivery drivers almost $7,000 a year.

Adam Ridgway, CEO of One Moto, who describes the company as “to electric motorcycles what Tesla is to cars”, revealed the electric scooters – the Electa (AED16,450/$4,479) and Byka (AED14,950/$4,000) – will be available from September 1.

The Electa is a modern take on the classic Vespa scooter, according to Ridgway, who also told Arabian Business the Byka – which has been designed to cater for the delivery market – will be a “game changer”.

“We truly believe that with the right support, belief and a little luck we will be able to completely eradicate the need for petrol delivery bikes in the UAE within three years, and across the MENA/APAC in five years,” said Ridgway.

He is confident that the cost of a delivery rider could be slashed by up to AED25,000 ($6,800) in the first year when taking into account petrol charges and maintenance – there are also no Salik charges or registration fees as part of government incentives.

UAE designed

Designed in the UAE, the electric motorcycles have a high-capacity range of 120-150kms per charge and high-power output for a quick acceleration and speed of 86km/h.

The vehicle plugs into a standard three-pin socket and the battery gives a life of between 90km and 150km. The full charging takes between four and six hours and 80 percent charge in one hour.

“The most convenient way to owning a One Moto scooter is having multiple battery packs, one for home, one for the office and one in the bike – we swap them with our colleagues and friends, so we always have full batteries,” said Ridgway, who aims to put 50,000 commuters on the road by 2022.

“If your friends also buy a One Moto scooter they’ll also have batteries, so swap and share. You don’t need a specialised charging point, which is a bonus for scooter riders (as cars need a charging station), so if you live in town and city centres apartment blocks – just plug it in to your home/office electricity supply.”

Expansion plans
The vehicles, which will be sold online, are also environmentally friendly.

Ridgway, who revealed plans to expand into Saudi, Egypt, Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman and South Africa, said: “Motorcycles use less fuel than cars, however, better fuel economy doesn’t always result in fewer emissions. Most motorcycles create more air pollution and smog than cars. Bikes produce less carbon dioxide, but they release more carbon monoxide.

“In total there are around 12,000 bikes in the UAE. When you start looking at the carbon emissions, behind aircrafts, petrol-powered motorcycles are the worst. It’s shocking. There’s a huge market out there.”

Source:https://www.arabianbusiness.com/transport/426776-dubai-firm-to-launch-cost-saving-electric-motorcycles-in-the-uae