Tron-style hubless electric motorcycles have made the rounds as concepts and Instagram clickbait for years, but like flying cars, they always seemed just out of reach. That changed last year when Verge (formerly RMK) began shipping its outrageous TS and TS Pro, and since then, the Finnish manufacturer hasn’t rested on its laurels. At CES 2023, Verge showed up with the TS Ultra, an upgraded version of the TS that pushes it to ever more unimaginable levels of power.
Though it looks nearly identical to its predecessors, a new powertrain elevates horsepower from the unique patented hub motor to 201 horsepower, nearly double the 107 horsepower of the older TS, and still a huge leap up from 137 hp in the TS Pro. Torque specs are even more eye-popping, up from an already excessive 737 ft-lb to 885 ft-lb, closer to what you would find on turbodiesel pickup than a motorcycle, or even a car.
New battery chemistry also boosts charging speeds to 50kW, dropping charging times to just 25 minutes for the 21kWh battery pack. Range remains identical to the older model at 233 miles.
Verge’s patented hubless motor, which also gives the bike its distinctive look, remains the special sauce. The entire rim of the wheel acts as the motor. That eliminates the need for a belt or a chain, and because there is no motor in the chassis, the heavy lithium-ion batteries can be slung as low as possible for better handling.
As you’d expect for a bespoke Finnish motorcycle with unique technology, none of this comes cheap. With truck-like power comes the truck-like price of $45,000, available for preorder now. Verge has already shipped “hundreds” of the original TS, and hopes to break into the thousands in 2023.
