Taiwan firm targets carbon emissions reduction, launches electric motorbikes

From Dotun Omisakin, Lagos A Taiwan manufacturing automobile firm, AaraGo, has launched electric motorbikes as part of its effort to reduce carbon emissions in Nigeria. The Co-founder, Andy Handshin stated this during the launch held yesterday in Lagos, highlighting the increasing hike in the cost of petrol, saying the motorbike was designed to achieve energy […]

From Dotun Omisakin, Lagos

A Taiwan manufacturing automobile firm, AaraGo, has launched electric motorbikes as part of its effort to reduce carbon emissions in Nigeria.

The Co-founder, Andy Handshin stated this during the launch held yesterday in Lagos, highlighting the increasing hike in the cost of petrol, saying the motorbike was designed to achieve energy transition from the use of petrol to electric powered by batteries.

“These bikes will be fully powered by the sun and other features we live in. Arago is a service provider. We built the infrastructure so that the energy transition can happen from petrol bikes to electric bikes.

“When we started in AaraGo the petrol price was about N180 per litre and two years later, it is N1100, that over 520 percent increase, it is just simply unheard-of and it brings a lot of struggle to motorbikes riders.

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“And we know that the petrol price might increase further, so we really need to find the solution from petrol,” he said.

He added that the motorbike would help to achieve reduction of carbon emissions in a bid to foster favorable climate change.

“Nigeria and all other countries have committed to a certain limit of carbon emissions they want to produce, so we are here to help and meet this deadline even way ahead of time.

“As we speak COP 29 is ongoing and we are hoping for a good outcome which will have an impact on Nigeria.

“As harmattan is coming, we are already seeing the air pollution going from green to yellow to red. West African cities have huge problems. Lagos has problems with air quality around Harmattan, where the air gets to toxic levels,” he added.

Also, the Taiwanese Representative in Nigeria, Ambassador Andy Yih-ping Liu, emphasized that technology is the country’s major export to other countries, reflecting on President Bola Tinubu’s comment during his presidential campaign as motivation to strengthen trade with Nigeria.

“Today is to showcase what Taiwan can bring to the world. Taiwan has been well known for high technology concerning information and e-mobility.

“Our aim is to use our technology as our way to do business fit into this particular part of the world especially in Nigeria.

“Your president in 2022 when he ran the campaign of presidential election, he said it openly that he wants to make the South East become the Taiwan of Nigeria.

“He didn’t mention China, Hong Kong, but Taiwan. We feel privileged. But why make Taiwan important because Taiwan stands for everything that runs well in economy and industrial development and sustaining our daily life,” he said.