Image: Fonz Moto
While new electric car sales in Australia have been solidly cracking the 11% mark and breaking records, the same cannot be said for electric scooters and motorcycles. Australia is missing a trick when it comes to these congestion busting, decarbonisation secret weapons. And make no mistake, they are everywhere in China and wildly popular.
To be fair, e-bikes have likely stolen some of their thunder, but they still have a use case, and there are plenty of petrol motorcycles and scooters on Australian roads ripe for electrification.
Potentially one of the biggest hindrances to uptake is high registration and insurance costs. It’s no wonder some people have been opting for illegally modified electric bicycles, which don’t require registration or insurance.
So potentially reducing these costs for electric motorcycles and scooters might see more people embracing them. One could argue (depending on the infrastructure) that it feels safer riding a scooter on a busy road than a bicycle, because cars allow you to take the lane and you can keep up with traffic flow.
For many years I rode a Vespa GTS 300 Super, and it served as a practical second vehicle, albeit a little bulky and certainly very heavy for a small lady like myself.
I was always conscious of the fact that if I ever dropped it, at over a 150kg, I wouldn’t be picking it back up again. So it was very exciting to ride a legitimate electric alternative to a 300cc petrol scooter, the Fonz Arthur Z Series. Even the design feels like a love letter to Vespa, or perhaps the electric scooter Vespa SHOULD have made, and at 108kg, the Z Series is much easier to manoeuvre.
Fonz is a brand I’ve been particularly drawn to, an Australian company founded in 2010 by CEO Michelle Nazarri. She herself notes the importance of this new performance scooter:
“We’ve always gone up against premium scooter brands, but cracking the 300cc category has been the missing piece — until now. The Arthur Z Series is everything we’ve learned, reimagined. It’s a premium product at a mainstream price point — our BYD moment — and a true 300cc alternative for riders who want more tech, more torque, and zero emissions.”
The standard range Z Series comes with 100km of range for urban riding. Fonz claim you can expect 75km with a mix of urban and highway riding, which is more than enough for city commutes.
Sure you won’t be riding Sydney to Newcastle, but Fonz does offer a long-range variant with a very impressive 180km. However this does come with a compromise as this second battery sits under the seat, so you do lose that very convenient under seat storage most petrol riders are used to.
If you only need that extra range for the odd road trip, Fonz will rent you a second battery for a small fee. Personally, I’d opt for the standard range and see how I went. If I really needed that extra range, I’d get Fonz to add a second battery later.
The standard range Z Series NMC pouch cells sit in the floor of the footwell under your feet and are not removable. This could be viewed as both a positive and negative depending on how you plan to charge.
For those without off street parking, the Arthur 7 may be a preferable choice, as the dual 11kg Powerpacks (which sit under the seat) are removable and can be carried into your home or office to charge.
If you have access to an external power point at home or work, or want to take advantage of public chargers, then the Z Series might well be for you.
Nazarri explains “for the first time, it’s genuinely possible to go fully electric without ever charging at home. Whether you top up at your local Bunnings or plug in while you’re at the beach, public charging has made the switch practical, realistic – and easy. The Arthur Z is built for this moment.” The question is which would you choose, removable batteries or under seat storage?
If you do opt for the Z Series, there are two ways to charge; via a Type 2 connector or a standard power point. It takes one hour to add 100km with a Level 2 charger and four hours to fully charge on a standard power point.
Like any electric car, cheaper running and servicing costs are also a consideration and one of the great advantages of an electric scooter. If you can charge from rooftop solar or take advantage of cheap electricity tariffs, you’ll be saving money from the get-go.
In terms of practicality, just as anyone sitting in the rear middle seat of an electric car will tell you, a flat floor is a wonderful thing. Unlike a Vespa, which has a ‘lump’ in the middle, the Z Series has a generous flat footwell. A convenient shopping hook is where you can tether a very full green shopping bag and rest it on the floor between your feet.
The glovebox contains a USB A and C port, so you can charge your phone while you ride and for an additional cost you have the option of a paint matched top box. The under-seat storage and top box will both fit a full-face helmet, making this just as practical as any petrol scooter.
A couple of extra useful features are the reverse button, which makes parking a cinch on an incline, and the bright, easy to read, 110mm digital dash, which can be switched between light and dark mode. This displays power use, riding mode, regen, tyre pressure, range and consumption.
So how does it ride? Like a little speed demon. The batteries in the floor of the Z Series translate into fantastic handling and weight distribution. It corners beautifully and the acceleration is both smooth and fun. It has three riding Modes: Eco, Street and Performance. I found around town Mode 2 (Street), was the sweet spot.
It calmed the acceleration down just enough to still be incredibly responsive, but it was easier to maintain speed and coast around local streets.
Mode 1 (Eco) is great for getting the most range out of your battery, certainly if you find yourself running low and Mode 3 (Performance) is best suited to riding above 80kmh or where quick take off is needed. These are easily interchangeable with a switch just below the throttle.
In terms of acceleration, on paper Fonz state 0-50kmh in 2.3 seconds, however if you’re willing to sign a waiver, you can take off in a cool 1.8 seconds. The direct drive 10.7kW motor is neck snapping fast, an absolute hoot and almost three times faster than its petrol rivals, but rest assured the dual-channel ABS braking is excellent. With a top speed of 105kmh, and a continuous cruising speed of 100kmh, it can more than handle short and long commutes.
The Z Series is priced very sharply from $9,690 ride away, a solid three grand cheaper than the Vespa GTS 300 Super, and unlike the Arthur 7, a Type 2 connector comes as standard. If you opt for the extended range, you’ll pay from $11,990 ride away. It comes in five colours Moon Blue, Racer Green, and Matte Black, while Cuban Green and the hero orange Forza Aranciata will set you back an extra $300.
There are six saddle trims: Black Vegan comes as standard, while the Vegan Sand and Chocolate, and the Leather Classic Black, Indian Pony, Burgundy, and Tan all come at an additional cost. It comes with a 3-year, 20,000 Kilometre Limited Australian Warranty and fun fact, if you get bored of the colour, Fonz can change the entire scooter shell in just four hours for $990.
One disappointment is the lack of a phone app. It would be useful to be able to monitor charging and battery level like the Segway Ninebot scooters. GPS tracking can be added to the Z Series for an additional price, but an app would really complete the package.
Having recently ridden both the Fonz Arthur 3 and Arthur 7 as long term loaners, I can safely say this new offering from Fonz will leave Vespa GTS riders VERY satisfied. In fact, I suspect they’ll love its socks off. The Z Series is a serious contender for best scooter on Australian roads right now, and a legitimate reason to make the jump from petrol to electric.
Fonz Arthur Z Series
Standard range 100km / long range 180km
0-50kmh in 2.3 seconds / 1.8 seconds if you sign a waiver
105kmh top speed / 100kmh continuous cruising
Charging: Type 2 connector: 1 hour / standard power point: 4 hours
Sarah Aubrey is one of Australia’s most respected electrification advocates. She is a pure force of nature when it comes to sharing and simplifying the facts about accessible, clean energy and electric cars.
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my question is :
If a scooter can be sold cheaper in electric than it's ICE equivalent, then why do we pay more for electric cars than their ICE equivalent?
Are we being taken for a ride???