Longer-range Verge Electric Motorcycle

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Lunchbag

Running like a top
Thread starter
The Verge electric motorcycle has been mentioned in a couple other threads and I hesitate to bring the dead horse back for another beating, but they made a notable announcement a few days ago.

Their battery supplier is saying they now have for sale the first solid state battery ready for automotive applications.  And Verge says they now have for purchase and delivery in Q1 2026 these batteries in their motorcycles.

The claimed specs are 400 Wh/kg, 5-10 minute recharge, and 100k cycles.  Containing zero lithium.  The claims, if true, would represent a game changer.  The claims for the motorcycle range are up to 370 miles (600 km).  But it is the recharge time and cycle life that would be most impressive, if true.

I'm accustomed to disbelieving most of what I read about the next "miracle battery."  However, if these are actually for sale, it should only be a matter of weeks or months before an independent tester gets his hands on one and reports his findings.  It will be interesting to see where this one lands.
 
I think I saw on a MotoBob video that they introduced that battery at the CES show recently.

I test rode a Verge at the Bike Shed in L.A. not too long ago, and the rep was saying that they were going to be introducing a solid state battery soon, with the same mileage and recharge time claims. That's great news, potentially, but the bike itself isn't really near ready to launch for sales, at least in the U.S. It's supposedly on sale in Finland or somewhere in Northern Europe.

The demo bikes they are showing in California are "almost" ready. They have aftermarket dash displays, I think Motogadget, and are going to replace them with a bespoke TFT screen. Being an electric, it doesn't have a clutch pedal, of course. Right now, the bikes have cheapy aluminum foot pegs, and both hand levers are brakes - left for rear, like a scooter. Supposedly that will change to a traditional right foot rear brake pedal. Also, some of the black plastics look blow-molded or vacuum formed, and not really what you'd expect to see on a bike retailing for over $34k.

But, we'll see where this goes!
 
It's an important horse to keep an eye on, Lunchbag, so please don't hesitate. A 600km range, if true, would give a good day's ride.
 
Gone in 60 said:
The demo bikes they are showing in California are "almost" ready. They have aftermarket dash displays, I think Motogadget, and are going to replace them with a bespoke TFT screen. Being an electric, it doesn't have a clutch pedal, of course. Right now, the bikes have cheapy aluminum foot pegs, and both hand levers are brakes - left for rear, like a scooter. Supposedly that will change to a traditional right foot rear brake pedal. 
Click to expand...

Regulations in the US says only scooters can have both brakes levers on the handlebars for some reason. Beause he has ankle issues my nephew bought parts from Europe to convert the rear brake on his NC 750 DCT to a left hand handlebar rear brake lever. I'd actally prefer that set up too, but can and do live with it on the right foot.
 
"Regulations in the US says only scooters can have both brakes levers on the handlebars for some reason." 

Yeah, the rep mentioned that when I asked where the rear brake pedal was. So, I guess they're doing demos on illegal bikes. Huh.
 
Gone in 60 said:
"Regulations in the US says only scooters can have both brakes levers on the handlebars for some reason." 

Yeah, the rep mentioned that when I asked where the rear brake pedal was. So, I guess they're doing demos on illegal bikes. Huh.
Click to expand...

Illegal here, but legal in other countries
 
I was at the Bike Shed yesterday, and they were displaying the new 2026 U.S. Verge model. It does indeed have a brake pedal and will keep the left-hand brake lever for the rear as well, so you can use both, an updated TFT screen (wasn't powered up on the display stand) and is a bit more finished looking. The solid-state battery also allows for a lighter motor, putting the overall weight of the bike under 500 pounds. I was invited to come back in a few weeks to test ride the updated model. I will, just for kicks!
 
Well, if anyone was planning to drop $34,000 on a Finnish electric motorcycle claiming to be the first electric vehicle to market with a solid state battery, you might want to put your checkbook back in the drawer.

I had a trainee rider with me today, and at our first pickup stop, we were delayed for quite a while, long enough to have lunch while we waited. That made for plenty of get-to-know-you conversation, and he talked about what he did before coming to our company. I knew he had worked in the motorcycle market and is a riding coach, but not much else.

He said he was the company representative for Verge Motorcycles at The Bike Shed. I have seen and talked about the Verge prototypes and demo bikes they have displayed for quite some time. No doubt I must have spoken with him before, and he was probably the guy who took me a on a demo ride when I tried one out. I was quite fascinated and talked about how I had never spent $34k on a car, let alone a motorcycle, I had been monitoring its progress and their claim to have revolutionized electric vehicle range and charging time.

He said the fact that he was recently let go, along with nearly all of their U.S. staff indicated that the progress must have... stalled. As for the claims of a solid state battery, he said it was a bold claim but never really materialized. Recent announced longer ranges were achieved with an enhanced standard battery, while riding at very slow speeds in London to maximize the absolute range it could give. I mentioned that it looked they were making improvements, as the initial U.S. prototypes didn't have a rear brake foot pedal, and the screens seemed to have gone from a generic Amazon-grade speedo to a TFT screen. He said that Verge hadn't really done any research on U.S. motorcycle regulations, and didn't know that a rear brake foot pedal was a legal requrement until he brought it to their attention. While the updated demo models have a pedal, he said that it wasn't connected to the bike's brake system, and that stepping on the pedal just induced a large degree of regen braking from the rear wheel hub motor.

I haven't been to the Bike Shed in about a month, and he believes that since that time, the Verge display and demo bikes have most likely been removed.
 
Based on my current experience, strong recuperation would be sufficient as a rear wheel brake....and i guess, a purely mechanical brake acting directly on the wheel, or the mechanics of the electric motor via toothed belt, is certainly just as robust....Recuperation always works with the same strength, regardless of the weather or maintenance.........and I never trusted those range claims anyway. For example, I find Honda's range figures for the WN7 to be very honest and realistic...
and
Range and performance come at a price; the Honda WN7 is basically still affordable compared to its competitors and is despite it suitable for everyday use.
 
Thread starter
An interesting development, thanks for sharing.

The battery claims they made at CES were so incredible they were bound to be substantiated, or not, within a few months.  Six months later, there appears to be no evidence that the miracle battery even exists.  This guy did a pretty thorough investigation:  
 
I was a bit skeptical about the battery claims. If Verge really had cracked the secret to battery technology, you'd think that other manufacturers like Tesla would be right behind saying "we'll have it to in just a jiffy". I mentioned it to my brother in law, who recently shopped for an EV. He's an Acura guy for his normal cars, but wasn't particular to any make or model for an EV. His two requirements were shortest charge time and longest range for a mid-size SUV. He investigated every manufacturer on the market, and nobody was telling him that a new type of battery was just on the horizon.
 
the Ferret said:
Hey Gone this just popped up in a news feed

MSN
Click to expand...

Looking at article, it looks like it was picked up from a Jalopnik article from early January, which is referenced at the end of the article.. It mentions that they they are promising the first deliveries to customers in Q1 2026 which was quite a while ago. The last time I was at the Bike Shed about a month ago, there was still a Verge display bike in their merchandise shop, so it looks like they're still trying to make it work.

What we need here is someone from Finland who can verify that they see them on the road there. They've told me they're currently on sale there.
 
If I go to Verge's website and part with €41,201.90 I can order one and have it delivered in Q4 2026. Not sure I'd be willing to take the risk inherent in that proposition.
 
Cormanus said:
If I go to Verge's website and part with €41,201.90 I can order one and have it delivered in Q4 2026. Not sure I'd be willing to take the risk inherent in that proposition.
Click to expand...

Would you mind doing that and reporting back to us to let us know what you think? 
I've test riddent one. Sort of like a dump truck, but it does look nice.
 
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