INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Gogoro, the Taiwanese electric vehicle company, revealed its newest vehicle today, a lightweight scooter designed for people who want
something smaller than one of the company’s Smartscooter mopeds, but more powerful than an electric bike
Called the Viva, the scooter can run for 85 kilometers on one of Gogoro’s swappable batteries, which are charged at the same stations as
its Smartscooters.Horace Luke, co-founder and CEO of Gogoro, tells TechCruch that the Viva was created as an environmentally-friendly
alternative to 50cc to 100cc gas scooters
It will be available starting in October, launching first in Taiwan next year before being released in some international markets.Made from
recyclable scratch-proof solid-core polypropylene and available in five color combinations, the Viva weighs 80 kilograms and has up to 21
It will retail at USD $1,800, with about 100 optional accessories available, including baskets and racks.As in many other Asian cities,
mopeds are popular in Taiwan and serve as the primary vehicle for many drivers, transporting multiple passengers and deliveries
Luke says Gogoro’s scooters now account for 95% of the country’s electric vehicle market share and about 17% of all new vehicles sold in
Taiwan, including gas ones.Viva was created to attract customers who don’t want to deal with the costs, including maintenance visits and
parking, of owning a bigger moped.“The Viva is aimed toward the population going no more than 5 kilometers a day, who don’t want to
worry about scratches, cost of ownership, having to take it to the shop for maintenance or parking,” he adds
“We have 17% market share and now the question is how do you get to 25% or 35% market share?”Like Gogoro’s mopeds, the Viva is also
connected to the company’s iQ system, which lets users unlock their vehicles and monitor mileage and maintenance with a smartphone app
With Taiwanese government subsidies for electric vehicles, it will cost NTD $25,980 (about USD $837), making it competitive with the pricing
of high-end electric bikes
Gogoro will also offer two years of free maintenance for Vivas sold in Taiwan.Gogoro has now sold more than 200,000 Smartscooters and is
present in international markets including the European Union (through a partnership with scooter-sharing service Coup), South Korea, where
it recently launched electric scooters designed for delivery drivers, and Japan
It also runs a mobility platform designed to be a white-label solution for ride-sharing companies.
