Japan's Terra Motors to introduce electric scooter with iPhone connection
The Apple Maps fiasco excepted, we have it pretty good where location-based services are concerned. But in areas like South East Asia, that's not entirely the case. Which is why Japan-based Terra Motors is prepping to launch the A4000i, an electric scooter that also features an iPhone connector (compatible with the 3GS and up) for big data collection. The company's positioning the A4000i as a means of gathering location data -- useful for mapping -- as well as mileage and battery performance (a lithium cell rated for 50,000km) for that region of the world. There's no word on exactly when Terra plans to launch this scooter overseas, but when it eventually does, expect to see the A4000i retail for around ¥450,000 (about $4,500 USD).
Show full PR text
10th/July/2013/
Terra Motors Corporation
CEO Toru Tokushige
World-first Electric scooter with smartphone connection unveiled
Terra Motors Corporation releases its new model of electric scooter, A4000i
and A4000. One of the new features of this model is the smartphone
connection.
There are several concept models of electric motorcycle with smart phones
released by other motorcycle manufacturers in EU. However, Terra Motors
releases the world-first mass production model of its kind. Smartphone
connection can provide new service to customers. Electric scooter will be more
than means of transportation. Terra Motors will deliver this model mainly Asian
market. Terra Motors target is 100,000 unit sales by the end of 2015.
ã€Smartphone Connectionã€'
Main feature is the smartphone connection. The first line-up of applications is
capable of store following data to cloud database.
1. Electricity consumption while driving.
2. Remaining Battery.
3. Various data while driving.
* Current model can only be available with iPhone series.
Using smartphone connection and data collected from each electric scooter,
Terra Motors intends to deliver new services with big data in medium to
long-term.
The most valuable data is location information. By collecting and analyzing the
location information of users, new services such as personalized advertisement
will be possible.
In automobile industry, manufacturers have provided car navigation system.
However, Google and Apple seek the new market in automobile industry and
getting into location information business in developed countries recently.
In the South East Asian market, smart phones are starting to prevail. However,
since main means of transportation is still motorcycles, there are few
companies that provide service related to location information. Therefore,
Terra Motors is going to provide electric scooter with smart phone connection,
collecting big data in Asian market that one other ICT players have collected.
With utilizing this big data, we will provide various services in Asian market.
Terra Motors is considering of corporate with third party as well.
Other Main Features of A4000i
-Japanese Quality ~Product and Battery~
For the development of A4000i, Terra Motors sent employees to South East
Asian countries 2 years ago. With elaborate research on motorcycles in Asian
market, we develop a model that is suitable for the usage in Asian market.
A4000i can be driven in rough road in Asia. A4000i has capability for 2 people
driving. A4000i can also be used as a commercial motorcycle.
At the same time,A4000i is powered by original Terra Motors lithium battery.
Battery endurance is about 50,000 km. This figure is five times longer than
Chinese electric bikes in Asian market.
-High performance
A4000i can go smoothly on a steep grade with a careful development of
accelerating performance. The detail is written in the attached files.
Terra Motors in the Asia
Asian market takes up about 80% of the whole motorcycle market. In this
market, high gasoline price and air pollution caused by gas emission have
aroused need for electric scooter. As the result, in China, more than 30,000,000
units of electric bikes are sold each year.
However, Chinese electric bikes face battery life problems, maintenance
problems, and part supply chain problems in addition to its product quality in
Asian market. Therefore, these electric bikes are not able to compete with
gasoline motorcycles produced by major Japanese manufacturers.
Terra Motors will wipe out these images (Cheap but insufficient product quality
and service.) with A4000i and A4000.
Focusing in Asian market, Terra's goal is to deliver 100,000 units by the end of
2015 and aim for the same positions in the electric two wheelers industry as
Tesla Motors in the electric automotive industry.
