Perth, Aug 7, 2008 AEST (ABN Newswire) - Australia's Vmoto Limited (ASX:VMT) has used the occasion of the eve of the opening of the Beijing Olympics to unveil the production designs for its new hybrids.
Two revolutionary hybrid motor scooters - to be built in a new China factory by an Australian company - are set to transform two wheel motorised transport globally, while contributing to the green energy credentials of major cities.
The scooter and all terrain vehicle are designed as world brands with specific emphasis on contributing to reductions in transport-based carbon emissions.
Vmoto says the unveiling of its green energy designs arrives at a time when critical messages about the impact of transport on air pollution levels in metropolitan/high density areas has risen, along with increasing global gridlock becoming a common occurrence.
Significantly, the new vehicles are to be manufactured from Perth-based Vmoto's new assembly plant now under construction at Nanjing in China.
The designs aim at transforming both the look and the energy efficiency of future road travel. Both are two-seater models - the "World Scooter" and the "Scartt Road UTV" (utility transport vehicle) - and will roll out from Vmoto's new 10,000m2 manufacturing plant in Nanjing when maiden production commences late this year.
The World Scooter will be available in either a 125cc fuel-efficient petrol model or a 2,000-watt electric model, while the 4WD Scartt Road will offer a 'dual-fuel' combination of a 620cc fourstroke engine and a 4,000-watt electric engine.
"With their futuristic looks and state-of-the-art engineering, these vehicles will provide an attractive and affordable alternative for drivers around the world who are concerned about their energy footprint but still want to travel in comfort and style," Vmoto's Managing Director, Mr Patrick Davin, said today.
"These are the first two production models but we are in the process of developing an additional 15 models, including an off-road version of the Scartt, as Vmoto responds to the huge rise in demand for scooters and UTVs being generated from high fuel prices and growing environmental awareness.
"World attention and opinion has been polarised in recent years by the apparent deterioration in the delicate balance of global eco-systems.
"Measurable temperature increases melting glaciers and the extinction of species has served as an all too stark but timely reminder and example of the long term impact that is, I believe, in some degree derived from transport and industry-based pollution.
"While it may aid scooter sales globally, the very fact China has had this week to halve and then almost abolish transport on Beijing's streets to achieve its "clear sky" objective, is more than a massive publicity necessity.
"It is a real litmus test of changes needed in the approach by automotive designers and manufacturers involved in world-brand vehicles, to meet environmental regulation and expectations within any overseas market."
The unveiling of the two new production designs comes less than two months after Vmoto formally entered the $10 billion European scooter and motorcycle market, with the acquisition of Barcelona-based CSR Motorcycles Spain, since relaunched as Vmoto Europe, and headed by CSR founder and famed Spanish motorcyclist, Mr Carlos Sotelo.
Vmoto also recently signed an agreement to commence the supply of scooters to Carrefour Spain, part of the world's second largest retail group which specialises in the "hypermarket" format of a combined grocery and department store.
The World Scooter has been designed by Vmoto's Spanish design team, while the Scartt Road is the brainchild of Mr Sotelo.
The hi-tech World Scooter also features an Ipod docking station, an MP3 player, under-seat heating, and a detachable "briefcase on wheels" and will be formally launched in January.
The Scartt Road UTV offers the unique capacity to switch between a 4,000-watt electric engine and a 620cc four-stroke engine and is expected to retail for under A$7,000.
"The Scartt Road has already gained on-road licensing approval from Spanish authorities and is attracting huge interest from distributors around the world in our pre-launch promotional work," Mr Davin said.
Contact
Patrick Davin
Managing Director
TEL: +61 (0) 8 9221 6175
Terry Jones
Group Chief Operating Officer
TEL: +61 (0) 8 9221 6175
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