A range anxiety buster hailed as the first production all-solid-state-powered EV is here. So is the skepticism.
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A few months ago, Ducati made huge news with the unveiling of its V21L race prototype at Munich’s IAA Mobility trade show.
The bike holds major significance as the first example of QuantumScape solid-state lithium-metal batteries powering an EV, so much so that it cracked the GP100.
Like a traditional motorcycle running on some crazy new gasoline that doubles mpg, the Verge TS Pro gets better purely by virtue of the next-gen battery now residing in its cradle. – Credit: Verge Motorcycles
Now Donut Lab and Verge Motorcycles are aiming for even bigger headlines with their big CES reveal: the world’s first commercially available, production-ready all-solid-state battery.
Fueling the updated Verge TS Pro, it promises an insane 370 miles of range and the ability to add up to 186 miles in under 10 minutes. Is it for real and, perhaps more importantly, will it matter?
Bonkers battery
By all indications, this thing is legit. While the range record Verge set last spring raised eyebrows, the Finnish company has been in the electric moto game for eight years now, while its subsidiary Donut Lab has been developing EV platforms since 2010.
The elusive solid-state battery, meanwhile, is lighter, more energy dense, safer, faster charging and more durable than lithium-ion batteries with liquid-based electrolytes.
The bike’s integrated dual-screen digital interface keeps tabs on battery life and countless other data points. – Credit: Verge Motorcycles
Those qualities add up to the most important one — more range — as evidenced by the claimed specs on Donut Lab’s new battery.
They include an energy density of 400 watt-hours/kilogram and the ability to fully charge in five minutes for as many as 100,000 cycles, without having to limit charging to 80%.
With a 0-60 time of 3.5 seconds and top speed of 124 mph, the Verge Pro is already pretty fast and furious. – Credit: Verge Motorcycles
Donut Lab also boasts that its battery retains more than 99% of its capacity in temperatures ranging from -22°F to 212°F. As anyone whose smartphone has been leeched of life on a cold winter day knows, that’s not exactly common.
According to Donut Lab, the battery will not ignite if damaged, does not require rare materials and is, in fact, cheaper to build than comparable lithium-ion batteries.
Real-world apps — and doubts
Now, what does all that mean for a bike you can literally order today and swing a leg over later this quarter?
The difference is clear with the TS Pro, whose only major update for the new year is its compatibility with the new battery.
With its classic lithium-ion battery, the bike boasted a (questionable) city range of 217 miles and a charging time of less than 35 minutes.
The bike signals its high-end pedigree with premium componentry, including Öhlins suspension. – Credit: Verge Motorcycles
The new edition also promises 217 miles of range, but with two notable wrinkles. There’s a $5,000 option for a “Large Battery” that fits in the same slot but boosts that figure to 370 miles — and you can grab a cup of coffee while adding up to 186 miles of range in under 10 minutes.
Still, (at least three big) doubts remain. First, the 193 miles Verge hit in its record-breaking run tapped every range-squeezing trick in the book, requiring two riders, more than 16 hours and an average speed of 12 mph to achieve.
Second, the TS Pro with the Large Battery costs $34,490, roughly two-and-a-half times pricier than Honda’s excellent CB650R, which, thanks to E-Clutch, is now just about as easy to ride.
The Verge TS Pro comes in any color you want, as long as it’s black, white, red, yellow, green, blue or, yes, pink. – Credit: Verge Motorcycles
Third, the charging infrastructure — in America anyway — just is not at a point where any long-distance EV operator can feel completely range anxiety free.
While that may change in the future, we are at least, oh, 1,110 days from that even beginning to happen.
But these are the doubts of a traditional moto enthusiast, and the mere fact that this bike is rolling out at CES indicates Verge and Donut Labs are targeting a new, tech-driven generation of potential riders.
I wish them all the luck in the world.
Availability and pricing
The updated Verge TS Pro will be available in the first quarter of this year, with a starting price of $29,900.
Verge TS ProAbout the Author:
Now managing editor, Steve has served in a variety of roles with GP since 2019. Having previously written and edited for such publications as Men’s Health, Men’s Journal, Esquire and ESPN, he enjoys covering a range of topics — but mostly those pertaining to cycling, snow sports, pocket knives and motos — and dreams of a utopian world in which everyone’s bike seat is at the proper height.
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