Voltra is Cambodia’s first homegrown brand of electric motorcycles.

Founder Yann Vaudin tells The Post that since operations began in December, the manufacturer has already sold some 70 electric motorbikes and is on track to sell at least 1,000 models nationally by the end of the year. It has also built a second showroom in Siem Reap.

Already, the start-up’s clientele includes the UN, the Swedish and French embassies, the French Development Agency and Malaysian telecoms giant Smart.

That is no small feat for a team of just six people, which includes two Cambodian engineers who assemble each unit by hand.

Currently, Voltra offers two models to appeal to different customers.

The Off-Road model has a range of 50km and a top speed of 38km/h. It also has pedals in the event the user runs out of juice before reaching their destination.

The Matrix – introduced to the line-up in January – looks like a conventional scooter at first glance. It can travel at a top speed of 60km/h and boasts a range of 100km.

Owners of both models can remove the lithium-ion battery stowed below the seat and charge it using a conventional outlet in their home or office, with it fully charged in only four hours.

“It costs only 15 riel to ride 1km with the Off-Road model and 12.4 riel per kilometre with the Matrix. It only takes 1kW to travel 50km, so our electric bikes are six to seven times cheaper than petrol motorbikes. In addition, they require no oil or petrol for maintenance.

“The lifespan for the battery is four years, and within two years the electric motorbike will have paid for itself,” Vaudin says from his office on the top floor of Voltra’s showroom in Phnom Penh.

Voltra plans to begin producing the plastic components for the motorcycles in Cambodia, before soon expanding its manufacturing capabilities.

Currently, the motorbikes are built in a modest warehouse near the airport, but Vaudin aims to have a factory with a fully functioning assembly line in place by next year.

For Vaudin, Cambodia is a launchpad for Voltra as it aims to expand to the rest of the region, and eventually across the globe. To that end, the company has already secured “CE” (European Conformity) certification, making its bikes roadworthy for the EU market.

Vaudin, a renewable energy engineer, says he has worked tirelessly to ensure that his bikes not only meet international safety and environmental standards, but also the unique needs of Cambodian commuters.

“From the very beginning when we started Voltra, we were not only thinking about the local market, but also of exporting bikes to international customers.

“It didn’t make sense to make one version of the bike for Cambodians and another version for others. We spent more than two years to make sure that this is a product that would be accepted worldwide,”

He says that he tested the Off-Road model on 12,000km of roads across the Kingdom, from the congested streets of Phnom Penh to the dusty red tracks of rural Siem Reap province.

The Off-Road model was specifically designed with locals in mind, not only regarding road conditions, but also cost.

The Off-Road model is priced at $899, while the Matrix costs $1,390. Voltra also plans to introduce the 3W Matrix – a three-wheeler – for $1,800 within the next two months to make the roads more accessible to disabled people and the elderly.