Chinese e-bikes make NZ debut
Chinese electric motorcycle and scooter brand Horwin has established a New Zealand operation with the appointment of local distributor Goscoot.
Goscoot was founded by industry veteran and former MG boss Anthony MacLean to take advantage of the growth of the micro-mobility market.
“The nexus for me happened when I was a speaker at an EV conference last year,” he explains.
“We were talking about the expansion of BEV and PHEVs [battery electric and plug-in hybrid electric vehicles], and how the running costs for electric are so much cheaper than petrol. But the challenge for me was, and still is, that EV’s are too expensive for most.”
However, the two-wheel market has undergone a transformation over the past five years with the introduction of Lime and Neuron shared scooters, and the proliferation of e-bikes. NZ’s market revenue in the micro-mobility space is predicted to grow from $9.5 million last year to $2.4 billion by 2030.
“Electric has changed how we power two wheels and at the same time petrol prices have risen to an all-time high,” says MacLean.
“That’s why I started looking at micro-mobility. I wanted to find options for people who wanted to be more environmentally sustainable, who wanted cheaper transport options, or who didn’t need a car, but they did want the flexibility, freedom and frugality of their own electric transport.
“I’m delighted to have secured Horwin for New Zealand. These scooters have been designed for the European market. This means there is great styling and fabulous attention to detail. Importantly these scooters are a little bigger than Chinese domestic brands as they are designed for larger, heavier riders.”
Model range
Goscoot will focus on Horwin’s EK model range at launch.
Its EK1 is a 2.8kW electric scooter that can be ridden on a car licence. It has a removable 72V 36Ah (2.6kW/h) battery that can be charged on or off the bike in four hours, giving the scooter a 90km range depending on rider weight, riding style and terrain.
It has under-seat storage and a smaller cubby box. All EK models have reverse gear as standard. Maximum RRP is $5,295 plus on-road costs.
EK3 is a 125cc equivalent scooter, which can be ridden on a restricted or full motorcycle licence. It has a 6.2kW electric motor and is capable of 90kph and up to 80km range, powered by the same 72V 36Ah battery of EK1.
It features a combined braking system (CBS), keyless go, alarm, and USB phone charging point. Maximum RRP is $7,495 plus on-road costs.
EK1 DS+ is a moped designed for delivery service. Based on the EK1, it is powered by the same motor but with two batteries that give a range of up to 160km. It comes with a redesigned rider’s seat and a large heavy-duty rack, plus USB charging point. Maximum RRP is $7,495 plus on-road costs.
Finally, the range features the EK3 DS+, which is the commercial version of the EK3. It also has a redesigned solo seat and heavy-duty rack, and twin batteries, meaning it has all the attributes of the EK1 DS+ with a higher top speed and a potential range of 160km. Maximum RRP is $9,695 plus on-road costs.
Horwin was established in 2013 and has more than 300 European dealers.
