MANILA - Ayala Corp on Friday announced that its electronics manufacturing unit IMI has launched a manufacturing facility for electric "big bikes" in Laguna together with US electric motorbike maker Zero Motorcycles.

According to its website, Zero sells a range of electric bikes which have a claimed range of up to 301 kilometers, and are capable of producing 110 horsepower and hitting top speeds of up to 200 kilometers per hour.

The assembly line is located within the Laguna Technopark facility of IMI, Ayala said.

“The strategic manufacturing collaboration between the two companies will help address the global demand for high-powered motorcycles and will increase access to the world’s full-sized all-e-motorcycles, with a projection of about 16,000 bikes per year in 2025,” the company said in a statement.

The full electric motorcycle assembly, the battery assembly set-up as well as the first units that were assembled in the country were showcased during the inauguration, which was attended by IMI CEO Arthur Tan, Zero Motorcycles CEO Sam Paschel, and several national and local executives.

"IMI is uniquely positioned to have both the competency of electronics manufacturing as well as e-bike assembly under one roof,” said Tan.

“For us, IMI is a perfect partner to expand our manufacturing in the region, a good place to build a global base,” Paschel said.

Ayala said the plant complements IMI's manufacturing and supply of EV chargers which are currently integrated and installed by Greenstrum in more than 50 sites across the country.

"With Zero and IMI together, there is no partnership or set of brands in the world that is in better position to take advantage of this transformation and to lead and reshape how two-wheel transportation is going to happen," Paschel said.