Modenas, USM working on electric motorcycle

Modenas, the national motorcyle maker Motosikal dan Enjin Nasional Sdn Bhd, is looking at commercialising and mass-producing its electric motorcyles by 2011.

The company's chairman Datuk Syed Mohamad Aidid Syed Murtaza said a sample model of the environmentally-friendly scooter will be ready by late next year and Modenas is looking at selling the motorcyles here and abroad.

"Modenas and Universiti Sains Malaysia (USM) are collaborating to manufacture the motorcyle," he told Business Times.

He said a prototype of the vehicle is currently being tested at USM's engineering campus in Nibong Tebal on mainland Penang.

"Issues such as extending battery life, improving charging time and expanding the distance covered by the motorcycle are currently being tweaked," he said.

Syed Mohamad Aidid, who is also chairman of the Motorcyle and Scooter Assemblers and Distribution Association of Malaysia, said that Modenas is looking at places like Japan or Taiwan as potential location for the company's overseas research and development centre.

"We are likely to embark on this after 2010, since we aim to develop an indigenous engine.

"Our long-term plan is to come up with a motorcyle which is fully made in Malaysia," he added.

Established in 1995, Modenas is 70 per cent owned by DRB-HICOM Bhd and employs 800 workers at its Gurun plant in Kedah.

The group has four service centres at Gurun, Shah Alam, Johor Baru and Kuantan, while its network of 200 dealers facilitate timely servicing and warranty claims.