Vehicles transport us from place to place. Cars bring us to school and work. Jeepneys and buses are convenient and affordable modes of transportation. We also rely on cabs and transportation network vehicle service (TNVS) such as Grab. Trucks, on the other hand, transport perishable and nonperishable goods from ports and/or farms to their intended destinations.
It will not be an exaggeration to say that we can’t live without motorized vehicles. Unfortunately, the huge number of these vehicles running on the streets is what’s causing this heavy traffic that has been our burden for the past many years.
Motorcycles and scooters are smaller alternatives to cars. They are also more fuel-efficient than cars and emit less of the greenhouse-gas carbon dioxide. So what’s more environment-friendly than a scooter? An electric scooter.
For reference, an electric scooter is a plug-in vehicle that’s different from an electric motorcycle because it has a step-through frame and a platform for the rider’s feet.
Ecooter is an electric scooter manufactured by Da Yang Motors in China. Da Yang Motors, established in 1992, manufactures motorcycles and scooters that can be found in 80 countries worldwide.
“Ecooter is backed by 25 years of technical experience from its maker. It is a joint venture with China’s top IT group and top parts suppliers globally,” said Virgie Lim, managing director of Sobeler Corp., which brought Ecooter to the Philippines.
Ecooter was officially launched in China more than a year ago. The brand already has dealerships in Spain, France and Vietnam, and it is now in the Philippines.
The all-electric scooter Ecooter is powered by a 2500W electric motor. It’s capable of running up to 80 kilometers. In terms of speed, it can run up to 75 km/ph. The Ecooter is powered by a lithium-ion battery that can be fully charged in six hours.
“Power and/or recharging is the top consumer concern when it comes to electric motorcycles and/or scooters,” said Dustin Chen, Ecooter general manager.
Sobeler’s business model for Ecooter in the Philippines will have Battery Rental Changing Stations available all over Metro Manila. This will be made possible through partnerships with convenience stores such as 7-Eleven and FamilyMart, plus Sobeler’s own dealers. Ecooter users can go to convenience stores or dealers to swap their empty batteries for fully charged ones for a minimal fee.
This relieves them of the burden of charging the battery for six hours. This service is limited to Metro Manila for now.
The Ecooter is priced at P80,000 upwards with the price depending on the color. The dealers will provide customers with a battery upon purchase. Those who don’t want to take part in the battery-swapping program can avail of a charging kit (which includes a battery and charging adapter), which is priced at P30,000. Ecooter comes in black, gray, white, red and yellow. The electric scooters have a one-year warranty. The batteries each carry a two-year warranty.
“We don’t encourage Ecooter to buy their own batteries for convenience because it is easier for them to swap their battery for a new one,” Lim said.
If you want to try the Ecooter, there will be a public event today at Bonifacio High Street’s East Block starting at 10 am.
For more information, follow @ecooter_philippines on Instagram.