Interviews
17 sep 19

Wagner Rodrigues, Ciclovolt: Pushing e-mobility in Brazil

One of the ways to improve personal mobility and urban cargo transport today is to implement electric-powered micro-mobility solutions in cities, according to Wagner Rodrigues who is the sales and marketing director for Brazil-based electric micro-mobility and e-motorcycle provider Ciclovolt.

Although the company has been providing electric pedal scooters with maximum speeds of some 42km/hour, it will soon kick off a new portfolio which includes the launch of a new e-motorcycle capable of reaching speeds of more than 120km per hour.

Join Fleet LatAm in our brief talk with the executive in São Paulo, Brazil.

Could you first start by telling us a bit about the type of vehicles you are currently offering?
Rodrigues:  At present, Ciclovolt is marketing electric pedal scooters, which are targeted at people in search of urban commuting of short to medium distances. Besides fuel economy, our clients are looking for user friendly equipment and easy battery recharging via any common wall outlet.
The model we are currently commercializing is the “Conect” which has a range of up to 40km and it can recharged as quickly as four hours. It is priced at 10,000 reais (US$2,450).

Ciclovolt Conect (source: Ciclovolt)

And what about your new product line. What can we look forward to?
Rodrigues: Well, Ciclovolt is currently in the process of kicking off a completely new portfolio focused more on the B2B market, and our aim is to offer customized products for businesses with specific needs.

We will be introducing e-motorcycles which can reach speeds of more than 120km/h and with ranges that exceed what is being offered in the local market today.

The first of these high-performance models to be introduced into the market are the “Scooter” and the “Naked”. We intend to launch them in October, a first for Brazil in this category. We do not have a price to divulge at the moment.

Why are these better than standard motorcycles and how does this help the corporate sector?

Rodrigues: Besides gasoline-powered motorcycles facing high depreciation when it comes to reselling, businesses using these types of vehicles are commonly frowned upon by society due to the air and sound pollution they create.

Moreover, fuel prices in Brazil are frequently affected by truck driver strikes and other issues. What we want to do is resolve this pain.

With high-performance e-motorcycles, companies can drastically reduce operational costs and show more responsibility when it comes to controlling harmful emissions and annoying sounds. E-motorcycles also face less wear and tear, resulting in less time on maintenance and increased productivity per unit.

Our motorcycles can be recharged in any common electrical outlet for about six hours. However, if the customer wants, we can provide them with quick chargers.

And what can the government do to help electrify the vehicle and mobility sector?

Rodrigues: One thing the Brazilian government has already done is kick off national automotive industry policy ROTA 2030 which, among other things, stimulates the EV industry. Basically, it gives tax incentives in exchange for investments in research and development.

However, EV infrastructure could be improved in the country and the government could push for other benefits such as the reduction of the annual IPVA vehicle tax as well as sales taxes.

Finally, fiscal incentives specifically for e-motorcycles and micro-mobility modals such as e-scooters and e-bicycles should also be considered. I do see these modes of transport offering key solutions today and tomorrow, not only for personal mobility, but for cargo transport as well.


Wagner Rodrigues and Fleet Latam editor Daniel Bland (source: Fleet LatAm)

Authored by: Daniel Bland
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