Kymco surprised us when, just weeks after introducing its RevoNEX electric concept bike at EICMA 2019, it announced the bike would be going into production for 2021. Kymco continues to surprise us with this bike, now by announcing that the RevoNEX will not be built in its native Taiwan, but in Italy.
"I’m very pleased to announce that mass production of RevoNEX will be made for the first time in a planned unit in Europe, making it the first electric product to be manufactured for global circulation under the Taiwanese brand 'Made in Italy' by Kymco," said Ke Shengfeng, Chairman of Kymco's parent company, the Gwangyang Group, during a press conference.
At first glance, this looks like an attempt to compete directly with Italian manufacturer Energica. That isn't actually the case, though. Kymco Chairman Allen Ko says it's building the RevoNEX in Europe because that is the target market for this bike. Transportation costs will be lower since it will be made where Kymco intends to sell it. It will also be easier to ship the large batteries within the European Union instead of importing them from outside, due to extra safety regulations around shipping batteries.
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This is just one more step that Kymco is taking toward not just playing with the big boys, but becoming one itself. It's expanding its product line by leaps and bounds, adding a flurry of new models like the F9, KRV, DT X360, and CV3. It would not surprise me if this is only the first of many bikes and scooters Kymco will build in Europe in the future, for many of the same reasons as the RevoNEX. Kymco's push into Europe makes sense because the smaller bikes it already makes are more popular there than in the US. If successful in Europe, though, maybe Kymco will build some larger bikes more likely to sell here.
Sources: Electrek, Focus Taiwan