Electrification is the future. Even if fuel prices start plummeting tomorrow, it’s inevitable that we all eventually make the shift to electric vehicles. In fact, if you look around the local automotive landscape, you’ll see that the shift has already begun.
But that doesn’t just apply to four-wheelers—electric motorbikes are starting to arrive, too. In fact, there’s a new one we just got a very quick glimpse of: the Horwin EK1.
Doesn’t ring a bell for you? You’re not alone. Horwin is a Chinese brand that’s making strides all over Europe with its electric mobility solutions. It’s just been brought into the Philippines courtesy of Watt Mobility.
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We got to chat with some of the guys behind the company, Ibba Bernardo and Ken Tan, and we were told that this is just one of two electric motorcycles that the company has lined up.
The one pictured here, the EK1, is the entry-level offering. The scooter has a very quirky design to it, and it actually looks really good in the metal. This electric two-wheeler is spec’d with a 72V26Ah battery that can also be upgraded to 72V36Ah. The former promises a max range of about 70km while the latter takes that up to 90km. The scooter supposedly tops out at 45kph. Check it out in action in this short clip:
You can charge the scooter by plugging it into a socket through the built-in charging port, or by taking the battery out and charging it separately. This allows flexibility whether you’re parked at home inside your garage or at a public parking lot in a mall or an office. The battery also has its own state-of-charge monitoring system and battery management system to prevent overcharging, discharging, surging, shortcircuiting, and overheating.
The EK1 falls under category L1b of the Land Transportation Office (LTO) Administrative Order No. 2021-039, meaning the electric motorbike will not require a driver’s license and vehicle registration. This scooter may also use bike lanes, but the local distributor is advising riders to use major thoroughfares like EDSA only for crossing.
As far as pricing goes, the Horwin EK1 stickers for P203,675 and comes with a two-year/20,000km warranty on the battery. There is a more powerful EK3 model that’s expected to go for significantly higher, but the company is still sorting out the details with the LTO. These products have yet to be fully launched in our market, but the EK1 is already available for purchase. A showroom is also expected to rise in Pasig in the near future.
We won’t dive any deeper into the details for now—we’ll save that for when we finally get to try this electric motorbike out ourselves. If the Horwin EK1 has piqued your interest, keep an eye out for more of our content on this.
