China's BYD helps Singapore startup in ASEAN e-motorbike race

SINGAPORE -- A Singaporean startup developing electric motorcycles has partnered with one of China's most prolific automakers to make two-wheelers available across the region, as manufacturers across Southeast Asia seek to grab a slice of the market for eco-friendly transport.

Scorpio Electric, founded in the city-state in 2017, has ambitions to make a range of e-motorbikes that can serve the mass market across the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations. In ASEAN, the startup is getting ready to launch its first model for countries including Thailand, Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines this summer, leveraging BYD's manufacturing prowess to make its e-motorbikes.