2025 Fonz Z-Series Review

Australian brand Fonz has spent the past 15 years refining its approach to electric mobility, and the firm’s latest Z-Series is the clearest expression of that lived experience.  

The focus here is on speed, efficiency, and daily practicality, built into a scooter that feels both familiar and purposefully modern. With 300cc-class performance, a low centre of gravity and proper fast charging, it sets out to make commuting easier and with fewer of the compromises associated with electric. 

The Z-Series starts from $9690 rideaway. The metallic paint and Pirelli Angel Scooter tyres fitted to the test bike add $300 a piece. There are more extras available, such as different saddle trims and a long-range battery. Even with a few boxes ticked, the pricing still compares well with most premium petrol competitors.  

Designed in Sydney’s inner suburbs and produced through a solar-powered micro-factory, the Z is positioned sharply against both petrol and electric alternatives.  

The Z’s packaging reflects long-term Australian rider habits, with Fonz founder and CEO Michelle Nazzari claiming the design responds to how owners charge, store and use their scooters day-to-day. 

The Z-Series immediately feels different from many electric scooters.  

With its non-removable battery tucked low in the footwell, weight sits exactly where you want it. The result is balance that is so well suited to a scooter’s design brief. 

You can creep along in traffic at walking pace, come to a standstill and hover for a few seconds before needing to dab a foot. That same stability remains at speed, whether you’re cruising at 60km/h or sitting comfortably at 100km/h in the quickest of the three power modes. I even saw 109km/h at one point (and not downhill!). 

There are three selectable power modes; Mode 1 tops out at around 40km/h, Mode 2 delivers around 60km/h of top speed and Mode 3 climbs just past 100km/h. All three accelerate at the same pace up to their capped limits, which means you can choose your mode based purely on environment rather than how quickly you want to get moving. Modes 1 and 2 using less energy per kilometre because the motor isn’t asked to sustain higher current draw. 

With the standard battery fully charged, the dash indicated 105km of range. More importantly, I found the consumption rate to stay impressively consistent. I averaged roughly one per cent of battery per kilometre, which removed a lot of the usual guesswork associated with electric commuting.  

Fonz also offers an optional long-range battery, though Nazzari is upfront in suggesting most riders don’t need it.  

In fact, she’ll even rent the extra pack to adamant Sydney customers before selling it to them, on the premise that very few riders genuinely require double the range unless they’re covering big distances every day. 

The standard battery cylindrical-cell configuration can handle higher discharge and charge rates than the removable packs used on previous Fonz models, which means faster acceleration and quicker charging. With the supplied Type 2 charging cable, you can plug into public chargers and regain meaningful range in about an hour.  

The F-Series also includes a standard 240-volt cable for home use.  

The charger itself is onboard, so the cables simply deliver power and communicate to the charger that it’s time to do its job.  

There’s also a small cooling fan beneath the bodywork that kicks in while charging, and the scooter won’t start the process unless the ignition is switched off.  

To check progress, wake up the dash – possibly a minor inconvenience since I like to keep bike keys in the house rather than in the garage. But if you’re charging overnight, it doesn’t matter one jot. 

Charging is central to the Z-Series.  

According to Nazzari, Fonz’s long-term data shows riders now charge opportunistically, and with public chargers everywhere – and often cheaper than city parking – the Z’s onboard setup and Type 2 support are built for quick top-ups during the week. 

Regenerative braking is another area where Fonz has changed direction based on its experience. The Z-Series doesn’t use coasting regen, which for a long time was the norm for many electric two-wheelers. 

Coasting regen is a system that feeds energy back into the battery the moment you roll off the throttle, but it also slows the scooter as soon as you do so to generate that energy. That constant drag scrubs speed earlier than you might intend and, counterintuitively, will almost always reduce potential range. 

Instead, the Z-Series ties regen to the brakes. The motor freewheels when you close the throttle, meaning no energy is being put back into the battery, and none is wasted by unwanted drag either.  

When you rest your fingers on the levers, pressure sensors trigger the regeneration circuit, and the motor begins converting kinetic energy into charge. Since this happens only when you choose to brake, the system allows for far more control over how much regenerative force is applied. It’s especially effective on long hills and steep city descents, where a light squeeze can recover energy.  

Unlike nearly all other electric two-wheelers, there’s no Fonz-supported app. Nazzari claims there’s an app in the pipeline; however, the brand’s priorities have so far been directed elsewhere.  

The hub-mounted motor sits inside the rear wheel and drives the Z directly, so there’s no chain or belt in the middle to sap power. On paper it makes 11kW, with a claimed 0–50km/h time of 2 seconds which puts it right in the mix with modern 300cc petrol scooters for real-world pace.  

On the road, those numbers feel about right. From a standstill, the Z fires assertively away from the lights and holds that urgency through the first half of the speedo, which is where most scooter riders spend their time. And honestly, that surge of acceleration never gets old. This thing is super fun. 

The braking package uses a 200mm front disc and a 190mm rear disc, both stainless steel and controlled by dual-channel ABS. The system has been tuned well for a scooter of this size. Initial lever take-up is light, then builds smoothly, making it easy to manage speed in stop-start traffic. When you need a firmer stop, there’s enough bite in the calipers to pull the Z up quickly.  

The Z also includes tyre-pressure monitoring with live readouts for both wheels, USB-A and USB-C charging ports for phones and accessories, and a dash that can be switched between light and dark modes.  

The pillion pegs stay hidden until needed and pop out with a neat push-to-reveal design. 

Ride quality is respectable for a scooter in this class. 

The front can feel a little choppy over rougher patches, which is fairly typical for small wheels, but the rear stays composed, and the Z holds its line well. The weight of the battery pack seems to help the chassis feel settled, and it behaves predictably across the sorts of surfaces most riders will encounter. 

Under-seat storage is almost unrivalled thanks to the aforementioned battery placement. A full-face helmet fits with room to spare, and – intentional or not – there’s a flat bench-style section at the rear of the compartment that’s perfect for placing a coffee or a sandwich while you’re charging. 

Build quality is solid throughout. The colour-matched mirrors are a nice touch; the panel fit is spot-on all over the scoot, and the sturdy metal grab handle give the Z a really substantial feel.  

Not everything is perfect. The stickers on the body panels aren’t clear-coated, which may affect long-term durability.  

The trip, range and time readouts on the otherwise excellent digital dash are quite small and almost impossible to see at a glance while moving. Oh, and the trip meter resets every time you turn off the ignition. But they’re small frustrations that don’t overshadow the scooter’s strengths. 

What surprised me most was how versatile the Z-Series felt outside its presumed city habitat.  

Electric scooters were once seen as inner-city tools, but the Z shows that the category has moved on.  

My driveway opens onto an 80km/h road and the Fonz was right at home in these regional conditions. It feels secure and surprisingly planted at higher speeds, and both the range and charging speed are now there to support it. 

The more time you spend with the Z-Series, the more its maturity shows. It has the performance, range consistency and charging flexibility to slot easily into everyday life, even if you live beyond the CBD.  

For riders who want something Australian, thoughtfully designed and thoroughly suited to local conditions, it’s a pretty appealing option. 

MOTOR 
Type: QSMotor rear-wheel direct-drive electric motor, interior permanent magnets 
Battery: Lithium-ion cylindrical-cell battery, 72-volts 
Charge time: Approx. 1 hour to regain meaningful range using Type 2 charger, home charging time 

PERFORMANCE 
Claimed maximum power: 11kW (peak) 
Claimed maximum torque: Not given 
Claimed top speed: Over 100km/h 
0–50km/h: 2 seconds 
Maximum possible range: 105km indicated 

TRANSMISSION
Type: Direct drive
Clutch: Not applicable
Final drive: Hub-mounted motor

CHASSIS AND RUNNING GEAR
Frame: Steel
Front suspension: Telescopic fork, non-adjustable
Rear suspension: Twin shocks, preload adjustable
Front brakes: Single 200mm stainless steel disc, dual-channel ABS
Rear brake: Single 190mm stainless steel disc, dual-channel ABS
Tyres: Pirelli Angel Scooter 120/70-12 front, 120/70-12 rear (Kenda tyres standard)

DIMENSIONS AND CAPACITIES
Claimed weight: 108kg (126kg with second battery)
Seat height: 775mm
Ground clearance: N/A
Wheelbase: 1350mm
Fuel capacity: Not applicable

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Price: From $9,690 rideaway
Warranty: Three years, roadside assist 12 months (Battery: three years, 20,000km)