FTN Motion gets ‘New Thinking’ Wellington Gold Award

Kiwi e-motorcycle maker FTN Motion got the Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka New Thinking Award at this year’s Wellington Gold Awards, held at TSB Arena.

The Wellington business, with its flagship Streetdog moped-class e-motorcycle, has been lauded for its innovation, and for demonstrating new thinking that is motivational and inspiring for the Wellington community and beyond.

Founded by engineers Luke Sinclair and Kendall Bristow during the first COVID lockdown, FTN Motion aims to reduce congestion, commute times, and pressure on the planet with huge demand for its Streetdog since releasing a prototype in early 2021 and its waiting list growing.

The first 100 bikes will hit the streets from October, and the business has attracted more than $1.6 million in two over-subscribed capital raises since its inception.

“We are stoked to receive this award, which was completely unexpected,” says Sinclair.

“Kendall and I relocated especially to Wellington to build the business and develop the Streetdog, and the city has welcomed us every step of the way.”

Professor Stephen Cummings, Atom Innovation Space director at Victoria University of Wellington Te Herenga Waka says FTN Motion was chosen for its innovation as well as the story of how the business was started by two young Kiwi entrepreneurs.

“FTN Motion bikes are beautiful world-leading products that reflect the heart and soul of where they were designed and built – Wellington,” he says.

The Streetdog has a classic cafe racer motorbike feel, characterised by state-of-the-art yet minimalist technology. It runs on a powerful 3KW electric motor and has up to 80km of real-life range, with a top speed of 50km/h, a removable battery, and huge storage capacity.

Parts of the bike that would traditionally be made of fibreglass are being constructed of a highly resilient and new hemp material, bound with resin, which FTN Motion says is strong, safe, and more sustainable.

The bikes made at FTN Motion’s workshop in Haining Street, Wellington, with as many components sourced locally as possible.

FTN Motion’s third co-founder, Saskia Thornton, who is currently based in Europe as the brand looks to grow overseas, recently represented the business at the finalising of the NZ Free Trade Agreement negotiations with prime minister Jacinda Ardern in Brussels.

Click here for more on FTN Motion.