Electric-powered bikes now ply Cebu City streets and their numbers are growing.
CD-R King, a popular budget retailer, has rolled out hybrid bikes made in Taiwan.
They are marketed as “California eco-bikes”to identify with the American state’s “strong advocacy and thrust for green technology.”
Diana Carlin Uy, CD-R King area manager, said their bikes do not require registration with the Land Transportation Office (LTO) or a driver’s license to be used on the road.
“We want to replicate the campaign in the Philippines,” said Uy.
Uy said their bikes support the Cebu City government’s campaign to encourage the use of bicycles and road sharing.
Donal Cañares, 37, acquired a Colton bike model on March 2013.
As an employee of the accounting department of a private firm in barangay Banilad in Cebu City, he drives the bike about 10 kilometers daily from his house along D. Jakosalem Street in Cebu City to his work place and back.
“Okay gyud kaayo,” he said.
Although he has to charge his Colton bike about eight hours a day, he said he barely felt any increases in his electric bills.
The only downside about the bike is the life span of its battery.
His bike’s battery pack was damaged a year after purchase, he told Cebu Daily News.
Cañares said that last year he was flagged down by LTO operatives because his unit lacked motor registration papers and a plate number.
To correct this, Uy said CDR King made arrangements with the Land Transportation Office and the Cebu City Traffic Operations Management (Citom) to exempt the hybrid bikes from motor vehicle registration requirements.
CDR King opened their first showroom for eco-bikes SM City on November 8.
The hybrid bikes were also on display at CDR King stores and their service center along A.S. Fortuna Street in Mandaue City when they were introduced in the Cebu market on March 2013.
Since then, they have sold sold about 100 units.
California eco-bikes come in 20 designs and are sold for P20,000 to P60,000 each.
At full charge, the bikes travel 50 to 60 kilometers at 35 kilometers per hour. Electric charging takes eight hours at a cost of P2 to P5 per charging, said Uy.
Because it is electric-powered, the bikes do not emit smoke or produce the sound of an engine.
To protect its battery, their eco-bikes should be kept in a dry and elevated place especially when it rains, Uy said.
“It operates fine even when it rains because it will not ground. Just don’t use it during a flood because that will destroy the battery,” she said.
The bikes have rigid frames with ABS plastic casing, ABS deck and frame and LED speed indicators and a LED headlight.
The wheels have durable alloy rims.
The bikes have pedals which the driver can use in case the battery gets drained on the road.
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