New “performance” electric motorbike unveiled by Australia’s Fonzarelli

Those who have already heard of home-grown electric moped company Fonzarelli would already be aware of the quiet, zippy, all-electric mopeds developed by Michelle Nazzari and her team of bike engineers.

Fonzarelli’s current S1 and FZ models, made to tackle heavy city traffic and allow versatile charging options, are both robust yet lightweight offerings from the Redfern-based company.

This year, Nazzari is taking it up a notch, crossing the line from eco-friendly urban scooter to agile performance motorbike with the introduction of its X1 model.

The X1, fully engineered with sports shocks and performance brakes, is Fonzarelli’s answer to requests from customers for something that is not only agile in urban traffic but can also hold its own on the highway.

Its power is something I can personally attest to: when the X1 prototype came to town recently I jumped at the opportunity to take it for a spin, and it did not disappoint.

It zipped up the hilly back roads of Byron Bay, and while I did almost topple off as it sped off (despite being aware of the instant torque), it didn’t skip a beat navigating curves in what felt like a safe but spirited ride.

Read the full story on RenewEconomy’s electric vehicle-dedicated site, The Driven…

Bridie Schmidt is lead reporter for The Driven, sister site of Renew Economy. She specialises in writing about new technology, and has a keen interest in the role that zero emissions transport has to play in sustainability.

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