Australia’s first electric motorbike wins prestigious Good Design Awards

A year after it’s release, the Fonzarelli NKD – the first electric motorbike produced in Australia – has won gold in the Good Design Awards’ Automotive – Best Exterior category.

Australian company Fonzarelli released the NKD in 2019 and joins a list of previous winners that includes Lexus and Tesla. More than 800 design project were evaluated in this year’s international design awards.

Fonzarelli founder Michelle Nazzari was understandably delighted.

“When we launched Australia’s first electric motorcycle last year, we knew the NKD – in addition to its environmental and performance credentials – had to deliver an electrifying aesthetic,” she said in a statement.

“From stuntmen to old school riders, we’ve enjoyed a host of great feedback on our ‘street-legal beast’. But to be recognised as delivering the year’s most impressive exterior across the entire automotive category is an incredible endorsement.

In praising the NKD design, the Good Design Awards jury highlighted Fonzarelli’s ability to deliver on both innovation and design.

“The styling of the NKD ticks the box and scores big for developing a solution that targets global emerging trends. NKD answered the need to move towards greener and more sustainable mobility solutions. The use of recyclable materials and ability to tap into renewable energy adds to the positive environmental messaging of the brand and product.

“In a world where everyone is looking for individuality, the NKD can be customised and personalised to suit individual taste. The ‘meccano’ styling has that retro handmade feel about it, reinforcing that custom appeal. It doesn’t appear like a mass-produced product, giving it a sense of uniqueness and intrigue.

And, it noted, “The jury loves how the retro custom styling is in complete contrast to the technology and powertrain that sits within. It’s very cool. 0-100 in 3.9 sec… WOW!”

The NKD also offers a range of 200km. The portable powerpacks allow users to charge up almost anywhere, whether indoors, onboard, or using existing public charging infrastructure.

“Overall, the NKD is a cool step towards the shift to more environmentally friendly mobility solutions. Low running costs, high performance, range, customisation, safety, low service costs, the use of recyclable materials all add to a well thought out solution,” the jury said.

Earlier this year Fonzarelli also released the latest version of their Arthur Model, you can read our review of the Arthur 3 here.