Yamaha Motor Co. said Wednesday it will start selling its "EC-03" electric motorcycle on Sept. 1.

The company projects annual sales of 10 million units of the model, priced at 252,000 yen. The bike is scheduled to be released in Taiwan and Europe begining next year, the company said.

As Honda Motor Co. plans to begin leasing its new electric motorcycle to domestic companies and other entities in December, eco-friendly motorcycles could become widely used.

According to Yamaha, the EC-03 model is powered by lithium-ion batteries and does not emit carbon dioxide. As the size of its body is nearly the same as a 50cc scooter, the model will cater to people with 50cc motorcycle driver's licenses.

The EC-03 is equipped with a plug-in recharging system that enables customers to charge it via household electrical outlets. It can run 43 kilometers after being charged for about six hours.

- The Yomiuri Shimbun/Asia News Network