Jeetender Sharma, MD & Founder, Okinawa Autotech and Pierpaolo Rigo, Managing Director, Tacita at the joint venture agreement
Mumbai, 19th May 2022: A historic agreement was signed on 18 May 2022 between two companies specializing in the production of electric vehicles: OKINAWA Autotech, a leading Indian electric two-wheeler manufacturing company and TACITA, an Italian manufacturer of electric and performance motorcycles. The new company, born from the joint venture, will be based in India and will begin production in India from 2023.
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 & its production line as the result of years of manufacturing & 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 are meant for the domestic & international markets. The year 2023 range will include a scooter & 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 & Italian team for the development of the powertrain, battery packs and BMS. Road tests will be carried out both in India & Italy in all weather conditions: to the frost of the Winter Alps to the humidity of the Indian monsoons. Part of the tests should include an inaugural voyage from Okinawa headquarters in India to the Tacita headquarters in Italy. The goal for both companies is and has always been to offer extremely reliable, pleasant and usable products for maximum customer satisfaction.
Addressing his vision for the JV, 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.”
Tacita has offerings for recreational, competitive off-roads, and electric superbikes with a holistic no-emission engine. Tacita designs and manufactures its own Power Train, controller, motor, and battery pack with BMS, leading to the consequent manufacture of true machine or real off-road. Leveraging Tacita’s capabilities, the bikes would go into production early next year at the second facility of Okinawa in Rajasthan.
Speaking on the partnership, PierpaoloRigo, 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.”
Carbon emissions are leading to global warming at an alarming pace. India emitted 2.88 Gt CO2 in 2021. As per the data by the Centre for Science and Environment, the level is pegged to touch 4.48 Gt by 2030 and India plans to cut it by 1 Gt for the same period. This indicates a pressing need for transitioning to renewable energy. Electric mobility can aid in taking a step towards reducing carbon footprint to create a clean and green economy.
