BYD to develop electric motorcycle batteries with Chinese two-wheeler giant

BYD partnered with TAILG, a Chinese two-wheeler giant, to develop batteries for its electric motorcycles, e-bikes, and scooters. TAIL became the first significant two-wheeler manufacturer to partner with BYD, the company said.

TAILG announced the BYD partnership at its product launch on Monday. “We plan to tackle challenges in two-wheeler battery technology and will work on adjusting BYD batteries to match the lifespan of the vehicles they power,” the company claimed in a press release.

Both companies will also focus on improving battery safety in e-bike use, TAILG continues.

TAILG is, like BYD, based in Shenzhen and one the largest two-wheeler manufacturers in China. It has a production capacity of 15 million units, selling in more than 90 countries and regions in 30,000 stores, its website claims. The company recently opened overseas R&D centers in Vietnam and Indonesia. Their main products are electric motorcycles, bikes, tricycles, and scooters.

BYD is the second-largest battery maker in China after CATL. In October, it installed 15.82 GWh of batteries in EVs, with a 26.7% market share, according to data monitored by China EV DataTracker.

In February, BYD announced it would produce safe and reliable LFP batteries for the two-wheeler market. “Our mission is to let people use batteries without worries,” the Shenzhen-based company said then.

The statement came after 15 people died and 44 were injured during the fire in a residential building in Yuhuatai district in Nanking on February 23. The fire allegedly started in areas where two-wheelers are parked, sparking discussion about electric scooter safety in China.

Since then, several Chinese cities have banned residents from parking two-wheelers inside the buildings.

According to data from the National Fire and Rescue Bureau, 21,000 reported electric two-wheeler fires in China in 2023, marking a 17.4% increase compared to 2022. 2022 there were 18,000 electric two-wheeler fires, representing a 23.4% increase from 2021.