Factory Network
From sketch
Before an e-bike can take to the roads in Japan, it goes through many stages: design, frame, components, control, testing and mass production. Together with partner factories and component makers in Taiwan and China, and partners in Germany and the United States, we connect these stages one by one. We work with overseas factories directly in Chinese, without an interpreter.
Six stages from sketch to mass production
Sketch and concept
We start from your sketch or concept. We ask what kind of vehicle you want and shape it with Japanese standards in mind.
Frame design
We produce full-scale (1:1) design drawings and specifications, and design the frame.
Component selection
We choose components for which test reports can be issued. For vehicles to be approved as standard bicycles, component test reports are required for the type approval test, so we check this from the component selection stage.
Control system
With a controller matched to the vehicle, we set the assist control to meet Japanese standards.
Type approval
Toward the type approval test application, we explain how to fill in the application forms, and review and advise on the technical materials. We prepare the vehicle for testing and consult with the testing bodies. The test application and the type approval application are made by you, in your own name.
Mass production and witness inspections
The control program that passed the test is written to the vehicles in every production run, and components can be traced by frame number. On request, we carry out witness inspections at the factory during mass production.
Ties with factories across two generations.
We built our relationships with Taiwanese-owned factories in the same industrial zone in Shenzhen by visiting them by bicycle every day. Later, these factories moved, along with the whole industrial zone, to Zhangpu in Fujian Province and Taishan in Guangdong Province. Management has also passed from the founding chairmen to the second generation.
Even with the change of generations, we still have relationships in which we can ask directly, without an interpreter, for prototypes and specification changes.
Choosing factories to protect your design.
A new design that has not yet been announced should be kept out of sight as much as possible. Here is what we do.
- Use a partner factory in Longkou, Shandong Province, with no industrial district around it
- Split component manufacturing across multiple factories
- Proceed under non-disclosure agreements
We can also sign a non-disclosure agreement with you (see the Type Approval Support FAQ).
Partner factories and overseas partners
These are the partners that have given us permission to list them.
| Company | Location | Field | About |
|---|---|---|---|
| Fairly 菲力工業 | New Taipei City, Taiwan | E-bike development and manufacturing | Founded in 1977. Our team member has worked with them for more than 25 years, going back to a previous employer. With three factories in Taiwan, they develop and manufacture bicycles and e-bikes for well-known European and American brands. |
| Wettsen 瑋辰 | Longkou, Shandong Province, China | Assembly, painting and electrical systems | Fairly's factory in China. Established in 2001 as a joint venture between the local village and Fairly, it was the first in the Yantai area to mass-produce e-bikes. Its core staff have been with the company for more than 20 years. |
 | Berlin, Germany | Mobility design | Works on electric mobility from concept and design through engineering and prototyping. |
 | Nuremberg, Germany | Electric vehicles for sharing | Develops e-bikes for sharing services and operates them in Wiesbaden, Basel, Mainz and other cities. |
 | California, USA | Drive systems | Develops mid-drive motors, torque sensors, controllers and software. |
A dedicated control system for each vehicle.
As a rule, we recommend units from reliable manufacturers. Where control tailored to the vehicle is needed, we work with control engineers at our partners to develop controllers and adjust programs.
Controllers vary widely in shape and size from product to product, and have many wires coming out of them. Fitted as an afterthought, the wiring stands out and spoils the look of the vehicle. Because we decide the controller's mounting position and wiring routes at the frame design stage, the result is a clean-looking vehicle.
| Item | Details |
|---|---|
| Controller and control software | We set the assist control to meet Japanese standards. |
| Battery and BMS | We select a battery and BMS suited to the vehicle. We also explain the PSE procedures required if replacement batteries are sold separately. |
| Display and switches | With Wettsen's system, your brand logo can be shown on the display at start-up. |
| Connectivity and diagnostics | We can discuss monitoring and diagnosing vehicle status through connectivity. |
Our ties with factories underpin our type approval support.
One of the most time-consuming parts of preparing for type approval is gathering component test reports. Reports from the factory may turn out to be for a different model number, or the correct ones may never arrive despite waiting. In such cases, we review the component specifications and sometimes obtain test reports and parts directly from the component makers.
From our experience, we can show you the most direct path to passing type approval. That is because we have relationships that let us deal directly with factories and act on the component and control side. Pass or fail is decided by the testing body.
Rebuilding the controller for a model whose factory had closed.
For one overseas brand's model, the factory that had made the vehicle no longer existed. Together with our partners, we rebuilt the controller for this model.
Factories and the shop floor
Checking a part against a full-scale (1:1) drawing 
Prototype rear carrier 
Welding 
Inspecting metal microstructure under a microscope 
Heat treatment furnace 
Frame mass production 
Front fork 
Checking a rear carrier against the drawing 
Tubing for frames 
Checking a cargo bike frame against the drawing 
Wettsen's factory 
The village where Wettsen's factory is located 
Electrical work at Wettsen 
Assembly at Wettsen 
Longtail prototype 
An office we built ourselves inside the warehouse
Talk to us about your vehicle, from the sketch stage.
It's fine if the design or specifications are not yet fixed. Tell us the vehicle type, development stage and your target timing. We work with overseas factories directly in Chinese, without an interpreter, and also in English.