Sometimes a new press release or newsletter makes its way to the ol’ inbox and it’s like a gift. The announcement of the California Edition electric superbike is one of those times. The design, range, quickness, and top-end charging speed make this new electric motorcycle truly compelling two-wheel transportation. The design alone is noteworthy if not captivating. Design, though, is subjective and sometimes even polarizing, so let’s get to some key specifications.
- Top speed: 124
- 0–60 mph: 3.5 seconds
- Range: up to 217 miles
- Charging speed: with fast charging, 35 minutes
The California Edition superbike was showcased at the LA Auto show recently and is based on Verge’s TS Pro platform. It will be produced in a limited edition. Marko Lehtimäki, Chief Technology Officer of Verge Motorcycles, provided some more details for CleanTechnica.
The motorcycle has 1000 Nm of torque. About how many horsepower does it have?
The Verge TS Pro has up to 1,000 Nm (137 hp). The TS Ultra has an impressive torque of up to 1,200 Nm and 201 hp.
What is the motor size, battery capacity, and battery chemistry?
The Verge TS and TS Pro come with a 20.2 kWh battery and TS Ultra comes with a 21.8 kWh battery. The battery is a lithium-ion battery. We use highest quality cylindrical Li-ion cells but that’s about as much as we want to reveal at this point.
The rim motor is driven by an innovative electromagnetic solution rather than being a conventional e-motor so is theoretically limited only by the power which is applied to it.
Does it have regenerative braking?
The rear wheel has two braking options. The first is the manual brake, operated by the left lever on the handlebars. The second brake is the regenerative braking done by the motor itself. This is customizable through the four available riding modes.
Regenerative braking can be customized by you thanks to our riding modes. Eco has 80% strength, Highway has 20%, Max has 100%, and custom mode allows you to choose the power yourself.
How long is the warranty and what does it cover?
Three year warranty covering all components.
Does it come with a home charger?
Currently, the charging cable is not part of the package but we will be selling accessory chargers later.
What kind of public chargers can it use, such as CCS or NACS?
The charger is a standard AC & DC CCS allowing normal and rapid charging. In North America we have also adopted the NACS standard allowing the bike to be charged at Tesla supercharging points in addition to other CCS sites.
What is the motorcycle’s cost?
Verge TS starting from $26, 900.
Verge TS Pro starting from $29, 900.
Verge TS Ultra starting from $44, 900.
Where and when will it be available for purchase?
Verge’s bikes are already available for purchase in selected European markets. You can buy Verge Motorcycles directly from our webshop or from stores, which we will open in multiple locations as we grow. Our first flagship store opened in Monaco in May 2023.
We plan to enter the North American market during the first half of 2024.
Does it have any storage capacity and, if so, where is it?
The bike has a small storage in a lockable compartment underneath the seat.
The rear wheel does not appear to have an axle, how is it attached to the rest of the frame?
The innovative rear wheel motor is comprised of two rims, an inner rim and an outer rim. The inner rim is attached to the main chassis of the bike by four trailing arms and remains static at all times. The outer rim, when powered, spins around the inner rim and is held in place by an innovative, powerful and patented combination of permanent and electromagnets controlled by the Starmatter software platform.
