SKD and CKD used to be a freight conversation: ship the unit in pieces, use the container better, assemble near the customer. In 2026 it is also a duty conversation, because where the frame is made and how much assembly happens afterwards can decide the origin treatment an importer receives. We supply mobility scooters and other large-format units as built-up units, SKD kits or CKD kits, with the component split and the assembly sequence documented in the programme sheet.
Suppliers use these three letters loosely. Here is what each one means in our programme sheet, so you are comparing like with like when you ask two factories for a price.
The unit arrives assembled, tested and ready to ride. No local assembly content, no local tooling, lowest handling at destination. Highest freight volume per unit.
Major sub-assemblies ship intact and are joined at destination. For a mobility scooter that typically means the frame with drivetrain, the motor and wheel assemblies, the battery pack, the controller and harness, and the body and seat set. Local work is mechanical joining, electrical connection and final inspection.
Components ship as parts and the vehicle is built at destination — including frame-level assembly where the programme specifies it. Highest local assembly content, highest local capability requirement, and the strongest position where local-content rules or origin treatment are part of the plan.
| Factor | CBU | SKD | CKD |
|---|---|---|---|
| Freight volume per unit | Highest | Reduced | Lowest |
| Local assembly content | None | Mechanical and electrical joining | Full assembly |
| Local facility requirement | Warehouse | Workshop with torque and test equipment | Assembly line with inspection station |
| Suitability for large-format units | Low | High | High |
| Suitability for compact scooters | High | Usually unnecessary | Usually unnecessary |
| Documentation burden at entry | Standard | Kit definition and assembly record | Kit definition, component list and assembly record |
We offer SKD and CKD on mobility scooters and other large-format units, where the effect is material. Compact stand-up scooters are normally shipped built-up — we will not sell you a kit that costs more to assemble than it saves.
Two developments changed how importers should think about kit level.
The consequence for a kit programme: the component split is not just a packing list, it is evidence. A programme sheet that states which components are made where, and what assembly happens after, is a programme that can support an origin filing. One that only states a price cannot.
We supply the manufacturing facts within our control — frame origin, component split, assembly sequence and kit definition. We do not give tariff advice, we do not publish duty rates, and we do not make the legal origin determination. That belongs to your broker or counsel.
Every line item listed, with which components arrive assembled and which do not.
Where the frame and each major sub-assembly are produced.
Torque values, electrical connections, test procedures and the equipment required at destination.
What is checked before release, and what the destination facility must verify before sale.
Component protection, labelling and part-number marking matching the assembly documentation.
Declaration of conformity, manual, battery documentation and the assembly record, released with the goods.
L3 · L7 · L9 · L10 · L11
Assessed per programme
N5 · N8 · N9 · X-series
SKD ships major sub-assemblies intact and joins them at destination — frame and drivetrain, motor and wheel assemblies, battery pack, controller and harness, body and seat set. CKD ships components as parts and the vehicle is built at destination, including frame-level assembly where the programme specifies it.
Warranty terms are published in the support centre and apply to the product, with the assembly record forming part of the service file for kit-supplied units. The inspection criteria in the programme sheet define what the destination facility must verify.
A kit does not by itself change duty treatment. What matters is where the components — particularly the frame — are manufactured and what assembly follows, which is the substantial transformation question addressed in CBP ruling NY N364674 (10 September 2026). We supply the manufacturing facts; your broker or counsel makes the determination.
A workshop with torque-controlled tools, electrical connection capability and a functional test station. The exact requirement is specified in the assembly specification section of the programme sheet.
Assembly tooling requirements and training scope are quoted per programme. Tell us the kit level and volume band and we will include them in the programme sheet.
Yes, and it is higher than for built-up units because a kit programme carries additional engineering and documentation work. The figure is quoted per programme, per kit level and per platform.
Send us the platform, the destination, the volume band and what assembly capability you have. We will quote CBU, SKD and CKD side by side with the component split and assembly requirements for each.
Related: Mobility scooter OEM · Factory capability · EU warehouses · Support centre