A new motorcycle from a startup named Verge is ditching the loud rumble for something sleeker, silent, and fully electric.
The design is reminiscent of something you would see in a sci-fi movie.
“We wanted to make motorcycling and the riding the best ever experience that you can have,” said Pekka Parnanen, COO of Verge Motorcycles.
The 5-year-old company is opening showrooms at Westfield Century City Mall in Los Angeles, San Jose, London, Monaco, and Germany to sell the Verge TS Pro, their entry-level all-electric motorcycle.
The battery is placed where the engine would be on a gas-powered bike, and what’s unique is that the motor is in the rear rim of the hubless tire.
“The stationary part is the inside of the rim and the rotation part is the outside of the rim,” explained Parnanen.
If that sounds complicated, it really isn’t. Basically, the electric motor spins the wheel, but from the outside, not the inside, like in traditional transport.
This keeps the center of gravity low.
“It doesn’t feel as heavy as it is… maneuvering that in the low speed cornering it doesn’t feel like it tips over,” said Parnanen.
There are also no gears to shift, making it easier to ride. The bike has a Tesla-style card key to start it up, and when you do, the first thing you notice is that it’s completely silent.
“If you’re riding in the city, you can actually talk to your friend who’s got the same kind of a bike,” said Parnanen.
The Verge TS Pro gets over 200 miles on a charge and the Tesla charging port will be supported at launch. Supercharging will take about 30 minutes while plugging in at home will take about 6 hours.
The motorcycle has four riding modes, including Zen, Range, and Beast, which unlock full power and speed. You can also set a custom ride type.
Pricing starts at $29,900 with deliveries in early 2025. As for those hestiant to the EV revolution?
“People said that no it’s not going to happen but now when you look at [cars] there’s tons of them. The same thing will happen with motorcycles,” concluded Parnanen.