Flagstaff-based Motor Excellence is announcing the layoffs of 16 employees so the company can better focus on getting its products to market.
President Jon Mrkonich tells Flagstaff Business News, the company hopes to have its electric bike motors on the road in 2012. Motor Excellence is also working on a robotics application for a prosthetic, and a five-inch motor for prospective customers.
MrKonich says their e-bike customer is traveling to Flagstaff in December to look over the latest version; production of the motors could begin shortly thereafter. The motors would then be shipped to Taiwan where the bikes will be constructed, before being shipped to customers in Europe.
Motor Excellence’s pride is its patented technology: a five-inch motor providing unprecedented range, acceleration and hill climbing ability. E-bikes are two or three wheel pedal driven bicycles with an electric hub motor which provides assistance to the rider.
Motor Excellence will no longer work on systems for generation and large propulsion, although the company could revisit those areas in the future.
39 people remain full time employees at Motor Excellence. 
