The company for the production of Ukrainian drag bikes Delfast plans to increase the percentage of localization of the production of electric bikes (e-bikes) in Ukraine in 2022 by launching its own plant.

"We plan to reach 51% of localization in Ukraine in a year. This already will be a bike completely made in Ukraine. Then, gradually, as we develop, we will increase the percentage of localization and everything that we can - from the point of view of economic efficiency - we will produce ourselves," Delfast co-founder Danylo Tonkopiy told reporters during the iForum 2021 in Kyiv on Friday.

According to him, the main reasons for opening a plant in Ukraine are localization, quality control and economy.

"We are signing an agreement with Kyiv Radio Plant and its successor Elmiz company. We intend to cooperate with them in many ways. This is not only the lease of premises - they develop future equipment for us, carry out assembly. The most important thing is that they have experience: they make electric cars, charging stations for electric vehicles and they were also interested in partnership with us," Tonkopiy emphasized.

He also said that manufacturing in China cannot provide the company with the required level of product quality, since the borders of China are closed, and Delfast cannot send engineers there.

"We need to have a high speed of implementation of changes in production, high speed of development, high speed of response to customer requests," said the co-founder of the company.

In addition, according to Delfast's calculations, the production of e-bikes in Ukraine will cost the company less.

"Let me give you an example: a frame made in China will cost us $250. And our partners in Dnipro produce the first samples for the same price, but as production increases, the price will decrease. As a result, the savings can be up to 30%," he said.

As reported, earlier Delfast began looking for investors in order to launch a full localization of the production of electric bikes in Ukraine.