Collaborative Engineering for High-Performance Electric Motorcycles

Dust Moto is a pioneering electric motorcycle startup in the U.S. founded by a team with deep experience in electric vehicle development. With a vision to deliver high-performance, reliable, and scalable electric bikes, the e-bike team focuses on creating affordable performance electric vehicles that maximize the connection between riders, machine, and environment. 

The Challenge

Dust Moto encountered several technical and strategic challenges while designing its compact, high-torque electric motorcycle. Some of these challenges included: 

• Low-voltage motor controllers previously tried were prone to failures and lacked long-term reliability. 

• Attempts at a Dust Moto-designed motor controller proved too risky and complex, especially given the critical nature of the controller’s performance and safety. 

• Existing controllers from China and Eastern Europe offered either high performance or reliability but rarely both. Many lacked automotive-grade safety standards or scalability. 

• The Dust Moto team needed a controller that could seamlessly integrate with their motors and meet demanding performance specs without extensive customization. 

The Solution 

Turntide provided Dust Moto with a comprehensive solution that addressed technical and strategic needs: 

• The high-performance Gen 6, Size 6X Extended controller offered peak performance at 80 volts nominal and up to 700-amp pulse discharge, suitable for the team’s high-output motor system. 

• Automotive-grade reliability, functional safety standards, and a proven track record of shipping thousands of units gave the team confidence in field performance. 

• The Turntide team worked closely with Dust Moto to ensure motor compatibility, even using dyno facilities to optimize performance and efficiency, while offering documentation and software support and real-time collaboration. 

“We chose Turntide because they offered the best combination of low-voltage performance and proven reliability,” said Colin Godby, CEO Dust Moto. “Their controllers outperformed competitors, and their team brought deep integration experience, strong support, and a track record of delivering thousands of units in real-world applications. For a startup like ours, that kind of confidence and partnership is invaluable.”  

Impact 

The partnership has already yielded significant results: 

• Dust Moto is on track to begin production by year-end, with customer deliveries expected in Q1 2026. 

• Validation prototypes are in testing, showcasing peak system performance. 

• The collaboration has enabled the team to focus on product innovation rather than controller troubleshooting, reducing risk and improving time-to-market.