2023 Verge TS Ultra Electric Superbike

[Admin]

All three versions of the TS look very similar, however the newly announced Ultra will deliver a claimed 201 hp and 885 lb.-ft. of torque. (Verge/)

It was back in November 2019 that Verge revealed its TS electric motorcycle, but the Finnish company has now taken the wraps off a new “Ultra” version that offers nearly twice the power as the original, to provide performance on par with the latest gasoline-powered superbikes. The company hopes that 2023 will finally see the machines reaching customers.

Where the base TS shown in 2019 is still planned for production, with 107 horsepower from the unusual electric motor that’s built into the rear wheel, that number is dwarfed by the performance of the TS Ultra, which promises 201 hp despite nearly identical styling. In between them, the TS Pro model splits the difference with a claimed 137 hp. As is usual for electric bikes, the claimed torque figures are jaw-dropping on paper: 737 lb.-ft. for the TS and TS Pro, and 885 lb.-ft. for the new TS Ultra. It’s worth bearing in mind that the numbers can’t be compared to the crankshaft-torque figures we’re used to seeing from gasoline-powered bikes. At the rear wheel, where the Verge’s torque is measured since the motor is the wheel, a traditional combustion-engine superbike will have similar peak torque in first gear because of gear reduction.

An exploded view of the motor that is incorporated into the rear wheel. (Verge/)

Even so, that means the Verge TS Ultra’s performance will be in the same ballpark as some of the most powerful conventional motorcycles on the planet. While its weight, at 540 pounds, is around 100 pounds more than your typical internal-combustion-powered sportbikes like the three in our recent Superbike shootout, that’s still impressively light given that the TS Ultra carries a heavy 20.2kWh battery pack. The combination will provide a claimed range of up to 233 miles and a zero-to-60 mph time of only 2.5 seconds. Typical for an electric bike, the TS Ultra’s top speed isn’t as high as you’d expect with the huge power figures; Verge claims it’s good for 124 mph, the same figure that the TS Pro is able to achieve. The base TS, by comparison, tops out at 112 mph.

The Verge TS in black. (Verge/)

Visually, a new nose fairing with built-in winglets and single-seat tail set the Ultra aside from the base and Pro versions of the TS, but it’s a substantially more expensive machine.

In the US, the price is set to $44,900. By comparison, the base model—with a 4.5-second zero-to-60 mph time and a 155-mile range—is around $26,900, and the TS Pro that does zero-to-60 mph in 3.5 seconds and up to 217 miles on a charge will be $29,900. As well as the differences in performance, the Ultra promises to charge faster than its siblings. Plugged into a DC fast charger, Verge says it will reach 80-percent capacity in only 25 minutes. The Pro, despite less power and range from a smaller battery, takes 35 minutes to achieve the same feat, and the base TS needs 55 minutes.

A pair of screens are used, a large display mounted on the “tank” and a smaller handlebar-mounted unit. (Verge/)

Of the three versions, Verge intends to have the Pro in production first, with customer deliveries estimated to start in May 2023. The base version is expected to follow in September 2023, with the Ultra simply scheduled for “Q4″ of this year. All versions of the bike have a large, iPad-style screen built into the top of the dummy tank ahead of the rider, with a smaller display on the bars providing essential info at a glance. On ordering and paying a deposit—$100 for the base or Pro version, or $1000 for the Ultra—customers can choose between Wilbers or Öhlins suspension, while all variations of the bike use Brembo front brakes and Verge’s own four-piston rear caliper.

The Verge TS in green. (Verge/)
The Verge TS in red. (Verge/)

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[Old-codger]

That has all the style of a biege breeze block what an ugly thing.

[Ronnie]

And what's the obsession with huge power output ?   Would range not be more important ? And weight reduction ?

[Bender]

9 hours ago, Ronnie said:

And what's the obsession with huge power output ?   Would range not be more important ? And weight reduction ?

That's down to your wrist, electric is powerful, full torque from the moment the motor starts to turn. 

[manxie49]

The big issues for me would be cost, range, time to recharge and aesthetics.  I'm not against electric bikes so long as I can keep riding my petrol bike.  I haven't seen one example yet that would realistically fit in with touring.  These things are great as a toy or possibly for commuting, depending on distance covered, but who can afford toys that cost this much!

[Ronnie]

12 hours ago, manxie49 said:

The big issues for me would be cost, range, time to recharge and aesthetics.  I'm not against electric bikes so long as I can keep riding my petrol bike.  I haven't seen one example yet that would realistically fit in with touring.  These things are great as a toy or possibly for commuting, depending on distance covered, but who can afford toys that cost this much!

My thoughts exactly.

[bonio]

Yup. Unlike cars, range on electric bikes has hardly changed over 10 years. Unlike cars, the premium you pay over against the price of a petrol machine hasn't come down. They're still primarily executive toys.