At first glance, the Verge motorcycle's rear wheel strikes a futuristic chord, marked distinctively by its hub-less appearance that seems to defy conventional design. The marvel isn't just in its aesthetics but in its engineering; the wheel doubles as the engine. Verge's TS Ultra model leverages this innovation, integrating the motor within the wheel, thus eliminating the hub and allowing the entire motorcycle body to house a substantial battery pack. This daring design grants the motorcycle an impressive range of up to 375 km (about 233 miles) and benefits from speedy charging capabilities that can reach 80 percent charge in just 25 minutes with DC fast charging. The absence of a traditional transmission means no energy loss to friction, endowing the bike with a torque output ranging from 700 to 1,200 Nm and power between 80 to 150 kW depending on the model.
The company behind this marvel, Verge, formed in 2018 with the ambition to break away from traditional motorcycle designs that mimicked their gasoline predecessors. The founders, coming from non-industry backgrounds, embraced the challenge of achieving high performance in a thin, wheel-hub motor—an idea deemed impossible by industry veterans, primarily due to heat management concerns. Several iterations and four years of dedication have culminated in a design utilizing radiating fins to address the heat, while simplifying the machine's maintenance needs to practically zero, with tires and brake pads being the only regular service items. This simplicity stems from the elimination of conventional moving parts like gears and chains.
Despite this pioneering technology, Verge's motorcycles do exhibit some teething issues concerning ergonomics and finishing touches that may not align with expectations set by its price range, which spans from $24,000 for the TS model to $47,100 for the flagship TS Ultra. However, with hefty investments into managerial talent from reputable automakers and a retail strategy spearheaded by industry veterans, Verge is on the verge of scaling production and creating a more polished end product. Revolutionary in its design and ambition, Verge's approach to electric motorcycle technology is set to push the boundaries of what is possible, with the potential to redefine motorcycle construction and performance.
📷: VERGE MOTORCYCLES
