Japan venture to bring electric tuk-tuks to Asia

A Japanese company is hoping to win a big slice of Asia's tuk-tuk market, it said Wednesday, betting battery-operated buggies could cut burgeoning city pollution. "There is no single company in Asia that mass-produces electric bikes or tricycles," said Terra Motors president Toru Tokushige. "I think it could have a big impact if a Japanese company is the pioneer in the market with products of such a futuristic design." Terra Motors unveiled the prototype of their electric tuk-tuk, a sleek-looking blue and white machine that can carry up to six people, including the driver. The vehicle, 3.3 metres (11 feet) long and 1.47 metres wide, is powered by a lithium battery, and can run 50 kilometres (30 miles) on one full charge, the company said. Terra Motors is hoping to win the bid for part of a Philippine government contract that is expected to see 100,000 electric tricycle taxis on the country's streets by 2016, using a $300 million loan from the Asian Development Bank. The Japanese firm is aiming to become the world's number one seller of electric tuk-tuks over the next two years, the company said, without providing precise figures. Tuk-tuks, a cross between a motorbike and a tricycle, are a common form of transport in urban areas across Asia. They usually have small, petrol-powered engines that are blamed for causing serious air pollution.