KUALA LUMPUR, July 9: KF See Group Sdn Bhd has started to pioneer the growth of two-wheeled green electric vehicle (EV) mobility in Malaysia by renting out electric motorcycles and scooters to the expanding tourism market.
Two enterprising Methodist Boys School Kuala Lumpur schoolmates decided some three months ago to have a company that is committed towards contributing to a greener and more sustainable Malaysia by delivering clean, affordable and reliable energy for a brighter future.
MBS schoolmates Simon KF See (left) and Cheah You Seng (right) ready to map out a sustainable go-green future through e-bikes rentals
“We have seen this trend emerging in many large cities outside Malaysia over the last 10 years and we decided to promote these EVs to the Malaysian market,” says Simon See, the company’s Chief Executive Officer, who has also roped in his childhood friend, Cheah You Seng, a seasoned motorcycle production and retailing veteran, to be its Chief Operating Officer.
To propel its business model in the right direction, KF See Group has partnered EVSEND Sdn Bhd, a wholly-owned subsidiary of Ni Hsin EV Tech, which in turn is owned by Bursa Malaysia-listed Ni Hsin Group Berhad.
KF See Group’s partnership with EVSEND entails the promotion and renting of the latter’s EBIXON EV motorcycles and scooters in Kuala Lumpur to make travel more affordable and sustainable.
Khoo Chee Kong, managing director of EVSEND, says the partnership with KF See Group would give greater visibility to the EBIXON EV motorcycles and is in line with its ESG objectives through their shared vision of a green and more sustainable eco-tourism revolution.
Sealing the agreement to promote e-bikes rentals
The partners aim to rent out 1,000 EBIXON EV motorcycles and scooters daily by the end of the year, mainly to foreign tourists in Kuala Lumpur, while making plans to extend the e-bike rental service to Penang, Langkawi, Melaka, Johor, Kuching and Kuantan over the next six months.
Rental rates for each EBIXON EV start from RM70 for 26 hours, RM350 weekly and RM600 monthly.
“We see plenty of potential for our electric motorcycles and scooters from overseas tourists who are already familiar with such vehicles,” said See, adding that a number of hotels and tourism-related entities have already signed up with the company.
He added:”What makes these vehicles attractive is the unique experience for customers while they enjoy the relatively quiet ride as we use information technology to equip them with detailed information on the best spots for sight-seeing and F&B.”
Plenty of EBIXON bikes and scooters at your service
Should there be any problems with the vehicles, all the customer has to do is to call the company located at Jalan Inai near the new TRX Mall here and a replacement will be sent immediately as all the e-bikes are installed with the Global Position System (GPS) for efficient tracking.
See, who was previously with the financial services industry, said with tourism numbers rising above levels prior to 2019, his company aims to tap into the uptrend for greater mobility through such modes of travel by promoting its services online and social media so that potential customers can already book its services before arriving in Malaysia.
A case in point is tourists from China, who are already familiar ith e-bikes and frequently use online platforms for their travel plans.
Besides the tourism market, which is a primarily a B-to-C business model, See said the company has also received encouraging response from shopping malls and security companies, and cited the TRX Mall here as an example.
He said these relatively quiet vehicles made them ideal for patrolling work because of their inconspicuous presence.
A TRX e-bike used for patrolling and surveillance
See said while the initial business promotion would be aimed at the tourist market, the company also planned to promote the electric motorcycles and scooters to the local population to encourage them to join the go-green revolution to reduce the country’s carbon footprint and noise pollution.
“Malaysia is a treasure and whether you are a local or visitor, we all have a role to preserve the environment. By going green with our e-bikes, you are not just travelling smartly but you are committing to being an eco-friendly guardian of this tropical paradise,” said See.
This would be constantly done by addressing key EV challenges, including range anxiety, charging infrastructure and battery lifespan, he said.
Cheah, now a big convert to e-bikes after having operated his own conventional or internal combustion engine (ICE) motorcycle retail outlet for many years, said locals might opt for purchasing the e-bikes instead of renting.
Prices for the EBIXON e-bikes range, which come in five models, are as follows: Bold (RM9,500), Torq (RM10,000), Kruz (RM9,000), TCMax (RM20,000) CPX Pro (RM21,000).
Except for the fully-imported EBIXON TCMax and CPX Pro, the other EVs are locally-assembled at Ni Hsin Group’s factory in Balakong.
Cheah explained that the nett prices of the e-bikes would be much lower as each purchaser is entitled to redeem RM2,400 for each e-bike purchased through an on-going promotion by the Madani government to promote “green vehicles”.
He said the relatively quiet motorbikes and scooters are easy to ride and maintain besides cutting down on petrol bills as “all one needs is three-point socket to recharge the vehicles”.
PLUS POINTS FOR E-BIKES:
- E-bikes require less maintenance as there’s no need for oil changes, clutch adjustments, or valve tuning.
- Electric bikes and scooters also produce minimal emissions compared to ICE (internal combustion engine) vehicles.
- Electric vehicles deliver instant torque, making acceleration from a standstill exhilarating. EVs contribute to reduced noise pollution, creating a quieter urban environment. They don’t emit exhaust fumes, thus improving air quality.
Look for this sign for your EBIXON e-bikes! Enquiries at 6012-2870889 or kfsee63@gmail.com
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