( CNN ) -- Much has been made of the electric car driving to the rescue of ailing automobile manufacturers and saving the planet at the same time . But what if that eco-savior came on two wheels instead of four ? Lean , green electric machine : KLD is hoping to kickstart the electric scooter industry with its new engine . A high price tag , a limited range , sluggish performance and the tendency not to work when they get wet , have meant that electric scooters are a rare sight on the roads . However , KLD Energy Technologies , an electric engine company based in Texas , believes that its new electric motor can overcome all these problems and kick-start the sector . It 's teaming up with Vietnamese motorbike manufacturer Sufat to produce an affordable electric-powered scooter that has a performance just as good as a normal petrol-powered bike . `` We chose Vietnam [ to launch the bike ] because there are 22 million scooters in a country of 85 million people . That 's a lot of people riding scooters in a contained area and the pollution is a concern . All governments in southeast Asia are looking for solutions [ to pollution problems ] , but so far there has n't been one . We believe that we 've found that solution , '' Christian Okonsky , founder of KLD Energy Technologies told CNN . Rather than looking at making batteries more efficient , KLD has improved the performance of the engine itself . The company has built an engine using nano-crystalline composite materials , which it believes is 10 times more efficient than traditional iron core motors , giving an output of 2500 hertz . Together with a computerized motor control , the KLD engine is compatible with any type of battery . Top speed of the KLD scooter is about 55 mph , which is almost double that of many electric scooters and delivers twice as much torque , accelerating from 0 to 50 mph in ten seconds . The engine also does n't require a transmission . The range on a full charge depends on the type of battery used , although in tests KLD says that its motor system extends the distance a battery can go before a charge is required by 40 percent . Cost-efficiency of components and years of technological development have created the engine KLD has the sole license to produce . `` The nano-crystalline material was developed 20 years ago , but it was incredibly expensive and people could n't figure out how to use it in a motor . Even 10 years ago a computer , to run this kind of high frequency engine , would have been more like the size of a desk top computer . The magnets we use today that cost 20 cents 10 years ago would have cost $ 4 to $ 5 , '' said Okonsky . Vectrix Electrics is another company that has been developing electric scooters , so far selling only in North America and Europe . While the performance of its scooters is comparable to KLD 's , their models sell at a much higher price tag around $ 11,000 . Earlier this month Vectrix reported financial difficulties and has been forced to make staff cuts . Okonsky , however , remains positive that the KLD scooter engine will be successful and that there is a market for electric-powered scooters . By the end of the year KLD is aiming for 2,000 scooters a month to be produced by Sufat with its electric engine . The projected retail price is around $ 1500 , only slightly more than Sufat 's existing bikes that sell in Vietnam for between $ 800 and $ 1250 . `` Among two-wheelers a scooter is the best for electric drive , '' auto industry analyst John Wormald of Autopolis told CNN . `` A motorcycle is too performance-driven , so it 's not really suitable , but a scooter would be . For many electric bikes with very limited battery capacity , the power is just an assist and the battery can be heavy which is n't great , if you 're cycling . '' Yet the market for electric bikes -- the pedal variety with a battery pack -- has been booming , particularly in China . According to the China Bicycle Association , sales of electric bikes in China stood at 58,000 in 1998 , compared with the 20 million recorded just a decade later in 2008 . Watch the report on electric bikes » . However , rather than replacing cars , the majority of electric bikes are affordable substitutions for bicycles , as Chinese cities continue to grow and daily commutes get longer . Their impact in reducing pollution then is open to question , as car sales in the country continue to rise . Ultimately the real eco-credentials of electric vehicles depends on how the electricity is generated , but for helping to relieve vehicle exhaust-filled streets , especially in Asia 's two-wheel dominated city centers , electric mopeds could go a long way . As the idea of electric vehicles as viable substitutions for petrol-powered ones becomes more widely accepted , Okonsky 's bigger challenge will be convincing skeptics that the old problems of electric scooters have been overcome . `` I 'm always asked , 'What happens if I go through a puddle , will it still work ? ' The answer is yes , '' Okonsky said . In fact , Okonsky says that they 've tested their engine underwater and it still works . Expect a video of the trial on KLD 's Web site soon .
Electric scooter developed with same price and performance as petrol models . Engine 's developers say it is much more effectual than other electric motors . Huge scope for electric scooters , primarily in Asian cities , if made affordable .