The 2022 Indonesia Motorcycle Show (IMOS) kicked off on November 2, 2022. The event will continue through Sunday, November 6, 2022, but Indonesian electronics company Polytron already topped IMOS headlines with the arrival of its Fox-R e-scooter.
For those unfamiliar with Polytron, the electronics giant is known for producing speakers, televisions, household appliances (refrigerators, washing machines, etc.), and smartphones. So why enter the highly competitive yet ever-evolving electric scooter segment? Even if we can’t see the connection, Polytron commercial director Tekno Wibowo does.
"We have accumulated knowledge of producing TV, and creating audio that can all be used here (in making electric motorbikes) because developing electric motorcycles has its similarities with (electronic devices),” reasoned Wibowo. “For standard motorcycles, we didn't dare enter the market because we couldn't make the engine, which is why we believe we can do it with an electric motorcycle."
Polytron’s first crack at electric mobility is a laudable effort as well. The Fox-R model totes a 3.7 kWh battery that produces three kilowatts (four horsepower). The e-scoot only reaches 90 kph (56 mph), but that top speed, along with the model’s 130-km (80.8-mile) range, should suit many urban riders. When it's time to plug in, the Fox-R's power pack only requires 4.5 hours to fully recharge.
The Polytron e-scooter entry also comes on the heels of Indonesian Transportation Minister Budi Karya Sumadi calling for manufacturers and consumers to help put two million electric motorbikes on the country’s roadways by 2025. However, it looks like Polytron has a much larger number in its crosshairs.
"Five million units, that's a fine number,” admitted Wibowo. “If motorbikes (that used fossil fuel) can be replaced then that is really a good number. First, the business is good, and in the future, we will all going to use electric motorbikes. Gasoline in a few years might become hard to get as fossil fuel will no longer exist."
