Walton makes Bangladesh’s maiden electric bike
Walton Digi-Tech Industries Ltd, a subsidiary of Walton Group, has released Bangladesh’s first electric bike to the public, following the global trend of transitioning to eco-friendly transportation. On November 22, the electronics conglomerate received permission from the Bangladesh Road Transport Authority (BRTA) to sell the electric bike under the brand name Takyon.
Walton Digi-Tech Industries has become the first company to launch two-wheelers in Bangladesh. The company’s deputy managing director, Liaquat Ali, said, “Takyon-branded electric bikes have hit the market.”
“This bike will cost riders only 10-15 paisa per kilometre.”
The bike comes in three colours — red, blue and grey — and is priced at Tk 127,750. Apart from Walton’s showrooms, Takyon bikes can be purchased through its website.
With the new bike, Walton made re-entry into the vast motorbike segment, which posted Tk 5,000 crore sales annually before the coronavirus pandemic.
We are excited to offer this new bike to our customers at an affordable price. The bike is available in three different colours to choose from, and we believe that it will be a great option for anyone looking for a new mode of transportation. With so many sales annually in the motorbike segment, we are confident that our new bike will be a success.
The company was forced to shut down its manufacturing plant after failing to sustain in the highly competitive market for conventional motorcycles. This comes at a time when the demand for eco-friendly bikes is going up across the world.
According to a report published by Next Move Strategy Consulting, an American firm, the global electric bike market generated $45.75 billion in 2021 and is estimated to generate $109.53 billion by 2030, posting an annual growth of 10.21 per cent in the current decade.
On average, between 4 and 5 lakh units of conventional bikes are sold annually in Bangladesh. In order to protect the environment and ensure safe transportation, Walton is developing and marketing electric bikes. These bikes run on batteries instead of fossil fuels, making them a more environmentally-friendly option. Additionally, electric bikes are less expensive to operate than gasoline-powered bikes.
Walton has an annual manufacturing capacity of 2.5 lakh units. E-bikes can be registered with the BRTA for two or 10 years, just like conventional petrol or octane-run bikes. However, the registration cost for electric bikes is lower than that of gasoline-operated bikes.
“The bike will help riders travel up to 70km on a single charge. The maximum speed limit of the bike is 50km per hour.”
The bike has a portable charger and can be charged at the household level.
Buyers will get free aftersales service for two years from Walton’s designated service points, according to the company.
