KYMCO has publicly rejected any suggestion that QJ Motor was given access to technology from the AK 550 platform. The statement follows comparisons between the new Fort 600 maxi-scooter and KYMCO’s flagship large scooter, particularly in the design of their chassis and engine architecture.

KYMCO says it has never entered into an agreement with QJ Motor to share the AK 550 platform, nor authorised or permitted the Chinese manufacturer to use it through another arrangement. That position does not amount to a direct accusation that QJ Motor copied the AK 550, and KYMCO has not announced patent-infringement proceedings or legal action.

Instead, KYMCO plans to wait until production versions of the Fort 600 are available on the market. It will then begin what it describes as the appropriate investigations and use their conclusions to determine whether any further measures are necessary. The question is therefore not yet one of an established violation, but of how closely the production scooter’s construction corresponds to KYMCO’s technology.

Why the AK 550 comparison matters

KYMCO says development of the AK 550 platform began around a decade ago and involved more than 45 patents. One of its defining features is an architecture that keeps the engine and transmission as two independent units, rather than treating them as a single combined assembly. The platform also uses an aluminium frame and a parallel-twin engine.

The comparison with the Fort 600 consequently goes beyond two manufacturers choosing the same broad formula of a twin-cylinder engine in a large maxi-scooter. The similarities under discussion concern the way the engine, transmission and chassis are arranged. That distinction is central to KYMCO’s decision to inspect the production model before drawing conclusions.

KYMCO has continued developing the same basic engine architecture, which also underpins the engine of the current CV3 575 three-wheeler. QJ Motor’s Fort 600 now enters the established large maxi-scooter category with a parallel-twin layout of its own, making the technical comparison more specific than a simple similarity in engine size or vehicle type.

The next decisive step will come when the Fort 600 reaches production availability and KYMCO can examine an actual market version. Until that investigation is completed, the manufacturer’s position is limited to denying permission or a technology-sharing agreement and reserving a decision on possible measures for later.