TD HiTech and NEC Tokin Tie Up to Tap E-scooter Market in Taiwan
2009/03/24 | By Quincy LiangTaipei, March 24, 2009 (CENS)--TD HiTech Energy Inc., a battery management system (BMS) developer as well as battery-pack and -module manufacturer under the Welldone Group in Taiwan, recently signed an agreement with the major Japanese NEC Tokin Corp. to explore the electric-scooter market in Taiwan.
The Taiwan government will subsidize at least 100,000 e-scooters sold on the island over next few years to build up the e-scooter industry as well as reduce air pollution created by the enormous powered two-wheeler (PTW) in Taiwan.
A lithium-ion battery pack developed with the battery cells supplied by NEC Tokin is ready to be the first to be certified with Taiwanese safety standards for electric scooters. NEC Tokin aims to use this as a launching pad to enter the global electric motorcycle/scooter market.
The 48V/20Ah lithium-ion battery pack developed for electric scooters is the first in the industry to be certified for the Taiwanese Electric Motorcycle Subsidy Policy and Criteria, TD HiTech said. The safety testing for certification under these criteria uses similar test criteria as BATSO (Battery Safety Standard Organization), an international safety standard for light electric vehicles (LEVs) and electric motorcycles/scooters to be in effect as of 2010.
With its battery pack certified by many global and international design companies, TD HiTech was searching for a leading battery manufacturer as partner to create a market for low carbon-emission electric motorcycle/scooters using lithium-ion batteries.
According to the cooperation agreement, NEC Tokin will supply high-performance, high-output laminated lithium-ion battery cells to TD HiTech, which will develop lithium-ion battery packs and systems for electric motorcycles.
NEC Tokin's lithium-ion battery has been used in electric bicycles and in the second half of 2009, the Japanese company is scheduled to mass-produce battery electrodes for electric vehicles (EVs), hybrid electric vehicles (HEVs), and other environmentally friendly cars.