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FTN Motion is on a mission to create "the ultimate urban machine" and co-founder Luke Sinclair says the Hamilton-based company is doing pretty well so far, with around 300 bikes on the road after five years in business and record sales over the past few months as fuel prices spiked.
He says its electric bikes sit in a sweet spot between ebikes and motorbikes. The moped version is great for first-timers (it only requires a car license, doesn't attract RUCs and can do 50km/h) and it goes for $9,000.
That's still a premium product (which it needs to be given it's a New Zealand company) but he says battery prices have come down considerably in recent years so it's now close to parity with a fuel equivalent.
The XR model is a bit higher off the ground and can hit 90km/h so it requires a motorbike license. Off-road tyres can also take you a bit further afield.
The running costs of these machines are very low, he says, so it makes for a pretty quick pay off as a commuter. They also look very cool and, as he explains, it could even help you meet a future partner.
Political Power has gone local! Dr Nick Smith, mayor of Nelson and ex-National Party minister, is an early adopter when it comes to electric machines but, through his efforts with the council and his close involvement with the Ratepayer Assistance Scheme, he's also embracing one of Rewiring's core mantras: once you've electrified your own life, electrify someone else's life, too.
Read moreDownloadWhether it's the growing number of electric buses, new electric trains for the lower North Island and City Rail Link, or new electric ferries, we love seeing more electric transport options in our big cities. It's also good to see some of our smaller cities like Palmerston North, Timaru and Nelson going electric and, as is almost always the case, the drivers reckon it's better on electrons. At the Electrify Nelson expo, we spoke with one driver Lee about the city's electric buses. And he definitely wouldn't go back to diesel.
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