Rio de Janeiro – The state of Rio de Janeiro is going to host the first ever electric-powered vehicle factory in Brazil. The announcement was made this Tuesday (10th) by CR Zongshen E-Power (CRZ-E), which will operate with the Kasinski brand in motorcycle and bicycle manufacturing. The two-wheeled vehicle production technology to be used is previously unseen in Brazil, and the plant will initially generate 150 direct jobs.
According to the president of Kasinski, Claudio Rosa Junior, 20 million Brazilian reals (US$ 11.4 million) will be invested and the plant will be built in an area of 6,000 square metres. It will be the first investment in the state to benefit from a recently introduced decree that provides for incentives to be granted to this type of industry.
The company already owns a plant in the city of Manaus, whose production capacity is approximately 110,000 units per year. Rosa claimed that for six months, Kasinski considered implementing the unit in the state, ad that he is pleased with the conditions offered by the municipality of Sapucaia, in the central region of the state. Production is expected to begin in the first half of 2011. He claims that the company is expecting an annual profit of 30 million reals (US$ 17 million).
"Our company will not supply the Brazilian market exclusively. We hope to use this Brazilian industrial hub to supply the entire American continent. Currently, we manufacture these products in China and then ship them to countries [in the continent]. As soon as we have enough of a production scale, we will quit supplying from China and start supplying from Brazil only," said Rosa.
The company’s president announced that an initial investment will be made in manufacturing seven models. There will be two bicycle models, two scooter models, a larger scooter to carry more than one person, another intermediate scooter and a high performance electric motorcycle. The motorcycle will be offered as an alternative for delivery companies.
The company is considering establishing partnerships in order to distribute its products among enterprises that use motorcycles, such as condominium surveillance, parking lots and delivery services companies. He announces that partnerships have already been established with 120 auto dealerships, and he expects to end the year with 200 partners in selling the products.
Because it is the first of its kind in Brazil, the technology should make the product more expensive, as approximately 70% of the parts are imported from Canada, China and Korea. Although the final cost per unit will be higher, Kasinski informs that it will subsidize prices so the vehicles will cost the same as their combustion engine-equipped counterparts.
Kasinski is negotiating with electric energy concession holders and fuel distribution and sale companies to implement express recharging machines at gas stations, which should recharge in 45 minutes to one hour. The company is also considering implementing an unusual methodology for changing batteries using a recharge card at gas stations.
The Economic Development secretary of the state of Rio, Julio Bueno, highlighted the effort’s pioneering character, the jobs that it willcreated, and the government’s initiative of investing in a non-pollutant transport alternative. "We are receiving a line of products that look like Rio de Janeiro, bicycles that represent the outdoors, a healthy life, not to mention the sustainability issue," said Bueno.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
