The first electric motorcycle assembled in Singapore was launched on Thursday (Dec 2), kick-starting the Republic's aim to grow a high-value automotive industry.Ion Mobility unveiled the Ion Mobius at its facility in Ayer Rajah Crescent, in a ceremony attended by Minister for Manpower and Second Minister for Trade and Industry Tan See Leng.To get more news about DC100, you can visit davincimotor.com official website.

The home-grown company, with a paid-up capital of US$6.8 million (S$9.3 million), was founded by tech start-up whizz James Chan just two years ago.The Mobius is a battery-powered two-wheeler designed in Singapore. From parts sourced largely from China, the bike and its lithium-ion battery pack are assembled at Ion's facility in Ayer Rajah Crescent.

Its output is targeted at 500 motorcycles and 500 battery packs per month. A larger facility will be in Indonesia. Together, the two facilities are expected to produce 1,500 motorcycles per month by next year.

Mr Chan, 40, who is also Ion Mobility's chief executive, said: "It was our team's vision to create a viable electric alternative to the ubiquitous petrol-powered motorcycle. In recent years, we have seen an accelerated shift towards sustainable practices in the region."

One major market is Indonesia, where Ion will also have its assembly facility in Greater Jakarta. It is expected to start up by the first half of next year. Indonesia will be followed by Thailand, Vietnam and the Philippines.Mr Chan would not say when the bike will be available for sale in Singapore. "Being a home-grown brand, we'd love to sell in Singapore. But this is a small market, and as an entrepreneur, I have to look at the bigger markets first."

He would not say how much the Mobius will cost, but indicated it would be priced competitively against 155cc petrol models. Such bikes are around $5,000 without certificate of entitlement in Singapore, and in the region of 35 million rupiah (S$3,300) in Indonesia.

Mr Chan said consumers "face significant barriers in switching over to an electric motorbike that is comparable in power, range and reliability to combustion motorbikes".As such, a leasing plan will be offered alongside retail sales.

South-east Asia is home to more than 200 million petrol-powered two-wheelers. In fact, more than 80 per cent of households in Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Vietnam own motorcycles.Converting these to electric models will improve local air quality, according to Mr Chan. "Motorbikes emit 16 times more hydrocarbons, three times more carbon monoxide and a disproportionately high amount of other air pollutants compared with passenger cars," he said.