Ultra Motor Starts in Europe

The Netherlands, Belgium, Luxembourg, Germany and the UK are the countries in which Ultra Motor Ltd. is launching its good-looking e-Bikes this month. The people behind the company – CEO Joe Santana (photo left) and President Joe Bowman – both have a background in the financial/investor sector. But that background is also linked to alternative energy sources as Santana also holds an interest in a company that produces windmills.

From there his interest in electric vehicles developed which eventually made him team up with Ultra Motor and Joe Bowman. Santana joined Ultra Motor in October 2008 and has an extensive background in engineering, marketing and management.

His latest job was President and CEO of the Timex Group. Leading a global expansion of this group of watch and lifestyle products making companies, he was instrumental in shifting manufacturing facilities to Asia.

Ultra Motor Ltd. is a globally operating Light Electric Vehicle (LEV) company started seven years ago and after entering the US and Indian markets, it is now ready to take on Europe.

Ultra Motor is a typical example of a company that doesn’t have its roots in the bike or powered two-wheeler business. That Ultra Motor and its management team are not related to the bike sector is maybe reason for the fact that its e-Bikes are totally different from the ones we are used to.

Joe Bowman says on this: “We think from scratch as we need to be innovative. So, we don’t have e-Bikes that are in fact bicycles with e-kits bolted on them. Our designs are focused on making vehicles that stand out and are between bicycles and scooters.”

Ultra Motor is not the manufacturer of its e-Bikes. Design, marketing and in particular branding is the main focus; the e-Bikes (as well as e-Scooters) are made in Taiwan.

Currently the company offers two so-called ‘platforms’ for its e-Bikes. The A2B Metro is currently Ultra Motor’s top model. With its box-shaped frame and almost all cables neatly tucked inside, this model really stands out from most current e-Bikes. However, the nice looking frame comes at a price as it will contribute to the overall weight of 31.1 kg.

This Ultra Motor e-Bike comes with a lithium ion power pack that enables a total range of about 35 kilometers; with an extra power pack this is extendable to about 70 kilometers. The recommended consumer price is about 2,300 euro.

Next to the A2B Metro, Ultra Motor also offers a much more bicycle-styled e-Bike which retails for about 2,000 euro. This will soon be followed with a third model specifically targeting European markets.
Last summer Ultra Motor set up a European headquarters in London. From here it will control its expansion in Europe as well as its dealer-direct deliveries that will start this month.

• For related items on Ultra Motor, click here