Taiwan showcases the latest in motorcycles and electric vehicles
2012/11/02 | By Quincy LiangMany exciting new products, bikes and concepts were unveiled at the 2012 Taiwan International Motorcycle Industry Show (Motorcycle Taiwan) and Taiwan International Electric Vehicle Show (EV Taiwan) held at the Taipei World Trade Center (TWTC) Exhibition Hall 1 from April 12-15. The joint four-day events ran in sync with the 2012 Taipei International Auto Parts and Accessories Show (Taipei AMPA) and Taipei International Automobile Electronics Show (Autotronics Taipei) that were held at the Nankang Exhibition Hall from April 11-14.
There were 230 exhibitors (a 25% increase over last year), 702 booths (a 43% increase), and about 20,000 visitors (including 1,095 overseas buyers and 1,396 international visitors in total) at this year's Motorcycle Taiwan and EV Taiwan shows, according to the organizer Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA). Japan, China, the United States, Malaysia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, the Philippines, Singapore, South Korea and Germany were the top 10 buyer nations that participated in the two shows.
Well-known international manufacturers that were represented at these two exhibitions included: Tesla Motors and BRD Motorcycles from the United States; Yamaha, Mitsubishi, Honda Cars, Hitachi, Kawasaki, Suzuki Auto Parts and Daytona (the largest distributors of motorcycle parts in Japan) from Japan; Siemens, Johannes J. Matthies GmbH & Co. (Germany's leading auto and motorcycle parts and supplies chain and distributor) and Herann Hartje KG (a leading motorcycle and electric vehicle parts dealer) from Germany; Idiada from Spain; Mahindra from India; and Astra Otopart, the largest auto manufacturer in Indonesia.
The annual Motorcycle Taiwan showcases the complete supply chain and customization capabilities of the local and international powered two-wheeler (PTW) industry.
Having developed a complete industry chain, Taiwan has more than five decades of motorcycle manufacturing experience and has been recognized for its extensive expertise and innovative R&D capabilities. The industry's complete line of products from upstream, midstream and downstream industries are showcased at this annual event where buyers from across Asia and the world come to source parts and components, rider accessories, manufacturing, and testing and repair equipment.
Major exhibitors at this year's show included well-known manufacturers such as Aeon Motor, Dinli, Chian-Yie Industrial, Yih Jing Traffic Industrial, Exustar Enterprise, DCR, Zing Yang Industrial, Ming Ming Aluminum, Accel Technology, Elig, Fu An, K Star, Taiwan Hanbin Machinery, JohnWayne Industries, Acewell International, King Tony, MDT Technologies, Long Huei Helmet, Jieh Jia Enterprise, Jia Wei, Japon, Hsu-I Metal Industry, Phongeer Motorsports and Haihao Technology. In addition to the domestic manufacturers that participated, overseas motorcycle parts exhibitors came from countries such as Italy, Spain, Japan, Thailand, China and Hong Kong.
Custom Bikes
TAITRA, the organizer of the shows, showcased the impressive customization capabilities of local companies by creating a special zone, the Customized Bike Show, where more than 150 customized motorcycles and scooters were featured.
A group of industry experts, parts developers and prominent vehicle designers selected the winners of the Customized Bike Show according to the criteria associated with the American style, retro, visual style, leisure, sports and crossover.
As public awareness has come to focus more on the importance of leisure, motorcycles have moved far beyond being simply a mode of transportation to becoming an icon of personal style. Motorcycle exterior designs, even of parts and components, have come to reflect lifestyles. Eighty customized PTWs (36 motorcycles and 44 scooters) from scores of specialty customization shops and aficionados around the island entered the contest, and together they showed the innovative genius on display at Motorcycle Taiwan.
The quality of the motorcycle parts and components meets international performance, safety and exterior standards, and they have been well received in the global market.
Following the remarkable success of last year's first EV Taiwan, this year's event focuses on the enormous changes that have come to shape the market and industry. EV Taiwan is one of the few exhibitions dedicated exclusively to EV, and its focus reflects that of Taiwan's industry, which covers the up-, mid- and downstream supply chains.
TAITRA has initiated mutual promotion agreements with other EV events, including eCartec in Munich, eCarTec in Paris, Ecomobiel in the Netherlands, EVEX in Japan and the EVS26 in the United States, to guarantee the future success of the young and vibrant EV show.
Nearly all of the major Taiwanese makers of assembled EVs, key systems, lithium-ion battery and pack manufacturers participated in the second EV Taiwan, plus some more internationally prominent manufacturers: All Win Green, Pihsiang, Giant Lion, Tung Keng, Dijiya, Delta Electronics, Fukuta Elec. & Mach., Luxgen, Chroma ATE, Honlin Heavy Industries, Yulon Tobe, Her Chee, Kentfa Advanced Technology, Greentrans (CMC Motor), Masterhold, TCV Industrial, Lanyang Energy, WS Forever, Asia Pacific Fuel Cell, Teco Group, Micro Spring Technology, CityPower Taiwan, ABB, AC Power, Taiwan Automotive Research Consortium (TARC) and TD Hitech Energy.
The Taiwan government has chosen intelligent EV as one of the four "Intelligent Industries" slated for special development. It has also provided resources such as EV pilot programs in major cities on the island to help make them part of the public transportation network and the power grid. These government efforts have resulted in rapid development of Taiwan-made assembled EVs that include all of the electric bicycles and scooters and plug-in cars and buses. The government has also been helping other related industries to participate in the growth of the local EV industry.
As a result of all these efforts, a complete supply chain in the local EV industry has been created: from upstream with enhanced battery raw materials and motors and integrated electrical control systems; to downstream where manufacturers of assembled-EVs have been exporting more of their products.
Taiwanese companies have become more competitive internationally by providing customized designs and R&D services to international customers. Luxgen, All Win Green, Pihsiang, Yulon and Green Jet are some of the assembled-EV manufacturers that have carried the Taiwan flag abroad, and all of them participated in EV Taiwan 2012. Taiwan's position as a leader in the information and communication technology (ICT) industry has been bolstered by its "intelligent electric vehicles" that focus on safety, energy efficiency and comfort as well as having value-added applications.
Exciting Activities
In addition to the wide array of exhibits at 2012 Motorcycle Taiwan and EV Taiwan, there were also many activities that provided abundant information on the industry and its new products.
The organizers of the 2012 EV Taiwan Forum, TAITRA and TARC, invited international speakers, including representatives and experts from Continental AG EV and Hybrid Systems, Remy International Hybrid Systems, UL Greater China Industrial and Automation Systems, Siemens Mobility Consulting, Denmark's Insero E-mobility, Nissan, Pihsiang Electric Vehicle Mfg. Co., Ltd., BYD Japan, Infineon (Greater China) and Delta Electronics, to talk about three popular topics in the global EV industry: "International Electric Vehicle Development Trends," "International Electric Vehicle Operational Trends," and "Integration of Asia's Electric Vehicle Industry with the World."
This forum allowed participants to discuss the latest technology with VIPs and share their experiences with them, and it provided Taiwan's EV industry with the most recent information on industrial developments and worldwide trends that can be used to create excellent business opportunities.
At the seminar "New Trends in Electric Automobile Industry," senior executives and officers from the Intelligent EV Promotion Office of IDB, TUV Rheinland Taiwan (Germany) and Fukuta Elec. & Mach. (a leading EV-motor manufacturer) were invited to share their views both on the development strategies for Taiwan's electric car industry and the current state of the industry. Manufacturers learned about the latest development trends in the electric car and key component markets.
The seminar "Taiwan Motorcycle Industry" enabled both assembled-PTW and parts/accessory manufacturers to learn more about future PTW design and global market trends. The theme of the seminar was "From creativity to launching business opportunities: motorcycle design, product planning and international market development." Industry insiders spoke both on motorcycle design trends from a globalization perspective and about their own experiences in launching brands in overseas markets. Speakers included George Lin, president of the ATV manufacturer Taiwan Golden Bee Co. Ltd. (TGB); Sherman Lin, creative director of Dynamics Styling Design; and Hwang Wen-Fang, executive director of Taiwan Transportation Vehicle Manufacturers' Association (TTVMA).
More than 50 models from scores of exhibitors were available for test rides during the show. Manufacturers that provided their vehicles for test rides included Aeon, E-Ton, Kentfa Advanced Tech, ChumPowr Machinery, Goldmark Electric Vehicle, Honlin Heavy Industries, Tung Keng, Dijiya, EFA Moto, Masterhold, Green Jet, Super Double Power, Longwin Technology, EVT, Green Diamond Power, EEEEFUN Asia, Kuann Dah Industry, Adlee, Lokovei, TEPSC, Fukuta Elec. & Mach., WS Forever Green, Bubutong and Asia Pacific Fuel Cell.
Electric cars, e-motorcycles, e-bikes and electric four-wheeled scooters were also available for test rides to provide visitors with a hands-on experience of the latest technology. Even the shuttle service between TWTC Hall 1 and NANGANG Exhibition Hall featured innovation: Advanced Lithium Electrochemistry provided their newest electric shuttle bus service so that visitors could experience the comfort, speed and convenience of electric public transportation.
New Product Launches and Briefings
Years of R&D in Taiwan have resulted in innovative products that have won awards and become renowned worldwide. This year exhibitors announced their new products at the main stage of TWTC Hall 1. These products include popular and environmentally friendly forged aluminum alloy wheels, Bluetooth multimedia helmets, e-motorcycles, e-scooters, and switchable headlights and fog lights. Personal accessories developed and manufactured by exhibitors were displayed on the catwalk at the center of TWTC Exhibition Hall 1, attracting attention from both buyers and visitors.
TAITRA said it did its best to maximize the benefits for both exhibitors and buyers: It mobilized the country's foreign trade and diplomatic missions worldwide to encourage motorcycle and EV buyers to come to Taiwan to source their needs. Key buyers came from countries such as Germany, Poland, the Netherlands, China and Indonesia. According to TAITRA, important industry names worldwide that attended this year include: Tucker Rockey Distributing and Maxzone Auto Parts Corp. from the United States; Motocicletas Y Equipos S.A. and Italika Motocicletas from Mexico; the major motorcycle and bicycle wheel manufacturer Eninco Engenharia Industria E Comercio Ltda. from Brazil; the motorcycle parts distributor Hermann Hartje KG and the major auto and motorcycle parts and components chain distributor Johannes J. Matthies GmbH; and many well-known brands. TAITRA helped organize more than 100 one-on-one procurement meetings during the exhibition.
According to TAITRA, next year the four shows are expected to set new records again, with positive results for buyers around the world.