Okinawa Autotech signs JV agreement with Tacita of Italy

It may be recalled that Okinawa was recently in the news for all wrong reasons as a couple of its electric two wheelers caught fire as a result of faulty batteries. In one of the incidents a man and his child died after inhaling toxic fumes from the burning electric scooter. Subsequently the company recalled more than 3000 electric scooters for checking the batteries. 

 The main purpose of the new joint venture is to pursue, for both companies, the goal of lowering the use of fossil fuels, as well as establishing themselves in the future as a top player in the world of electric two-wheelers. Specifically, Okinawa will provide the local development of the future product and its production line as the result of years of manufacturing and selling of electric 2 wheelers.

Tacita will provide the powertrain – controller, motor, battery packs and BMS, the result of over 10 years of research & development and testing in extreme conditions which makes them excel in making state-of-the-art high-performance products.

 This Joint venture will consist of two product lines: scooters and motorcycles. Both lines will cater to domestic as well as international markets. The year 2023 range will include a scooter and a high-end performance motorcycle.  The entire range will be equipped with the best connectivity systems on the market having Okinawa technology.

The next steps of the newborn company will be during 2022 going up to the first half of 2023 for the design, development, patenting and finally the tests on the road. The design will be developed in Italy at the Tacita headquarters with Okinawa professional technicians and Italian team for the development of the powertrain, battery packs and BMS.

Road tests will be carried out both in India and Italy in all weather conditions. Part of the tests will include an inaugural voyage from Okinawa headquarters in India to the Tacita headquarters in Italy.

Jeetender Sharma, MD & Founder, Okinawa Autotech, commented, “Tacita’s mission is aligned with ours towards creating a sustainable future. We envisage the collaboration to create a synergy effect that will accelerate our commitment to electric mobility. There is a steady and conscious shift in consumer preferences and we have witnessed a growing demand for premium and performance electric motorcycles in India. Tacita will help us in creating a marketplace that matches the demand for futuristic technology and products. Their advanced & futuristic technology will also further broaden and strengthen our existing product range.”

 Speaking on the partnership, Pierpaolo Rigo, Managing Director, Tacita, mentioned, “We are delighted to partner with a leading e-scooter manufacturer in India. The leadership team of Okinawa Autotech has a rich on-ground experience and knowledge about the market, competition, and customer behaviour. We are happy to provide our expertise in the premium EV bike segment to launch a top-end line of bikes. Our team along with Okinawa engineers is dedicated to R&D to introduce unique product propositions that define the future.”