TRAVERSE CITY, Mich. — Tony Posawatz is shifting from 4 wheels to 2.
The previous CEO of Fisker Automotive and longtime Basic Motors govt who labored on autos such because the Chevrolet Volt and Avalanche and Cadillac Escalade, is now a board adviser for Zapp, a British scooter firm based in 2017. Zapp is within the midst of launching a battery-electric two-wheeler in Paris and plans to increase to the U.S. subsequent 12 months.
The corporate debuted its i300 carbon-fiber scooter Wednesday on the Administration Briefing Seminars right here, a step-through bike able to touring about 40 miles with two onboard, detachable batteries. Zapp says scooters signify a $109 billion market worldwide, and there is a possibility to step in and steal market share as conventional corporations transition to battery energy.
“Everybody’s struggled in the best way to handle the two-wheel market,” Posawatz, a 2011 Automotive Information All-Star, stated throughout a media briefing. “We imagine this firm is poised to create an unique product and create an answer for city mobility that takes the comfort of a step-through scooter and melds it with superbike efficiency at a terrific worth.”
The i300 will begin at $7,495, whereas a carbon launch version will price $8,995. Posawatz stated that when incentives are factored in, clients may pay as little as $5,000 to $6,000.
The scooters’ batteries weigh 12 kilos every, are saved within the backside of the scooter, can plug into any 110/240V outlet and cost from 20 % to 80 % in lower than an hour.
The corporate builds the bikes in Thailand by a contract manufacturing partnership with Summit Group.
He stated the i300 will likely be worthwhile “in a short time, proper out of the gate.”
The corporate could have bodily shops much like Tesla, however it can ship the product on to clients with branded hybrid vans. Whereas he confirmed off a prototype right here, Posawatz stated Zapp deliberate to attend the Los Angeles Auto Present this 12 months with a manufacturing mannequin.