We've covered Verge Motorcycles extensively for years, as the Estonian brand has been hard at work developing a novel electric motorcycle that looks – and runs – like nothing else out there. The company says it's now shipped its first bike with a world-first solid-state battery.
The Gen 2 TS Pro features a prominent hub motor located where the rear wheel would be. It makes a healthy 137 hp and can tap into 737 lb.ft (1,000 Nm) of torque. That's good for a 0-60 mph (0-100 km/h) time of 3.5 seconds.
The big deal, of course is the first ever production-ready all-solid-state battery that Verge says it's just shipped with the latest TS Pro. It comes from the company's spinoff firm, Donut Lab. You can get it in a Standard 20.2-kWh flavor for 217 miles (350 km) of range, or opt for the 33.3-kWh version that promises 372 miles (600 km). Charging speeds of 200 kW allow for topping up 80% of its capacity in 10 minutes.
The battery is the most exciting bit because it features an entirely different chemistry than we've seen in electric vehicles until now. Unlike a regular battery with a gel electrolyte between a lithium and a graphite electrode, a solid-state battery has a solid material (such as a ceramic or special polymer) to conduct electricity between its positive and negative sides.
That makes it better in all sorts of ways. It can be far more energy-dense (Donut claims 180 Wh/lb or 400 Wh/kg), which means you can get a whole lot of range in a light and small battery. It's also likely to last longer before seeing its capacity reduce, resist catching fire, and charge a lot quicker as it can run at higher temperatures than lithium-ion batteries.
If it's for real, Donut Lab's battery tech could upend the automotive industry and provide a path to more energy-dense, longer lasting, and safer batteries for all kinds of EVs, including cars.
Assuming my notes are correct, the closest we've got to that is this Chinese electric crossover from MG that runs on semi-solid-state batteries. Mercedes and BMW began testing their own solid-state battery-equipped cars last year, so we could indeed be close to seeing this tech arrive on our roads in the near future.
Critics have raised eyebrows about the solid-state battery breakthrough, because it's proven difficult for a number of reasons – finding the right electrolyte and other materials, managing temperature sensitivity, and achieving cost-effective manufacturing at scale. Donut Lab has been putting out a series of videos demonstrating its battery in action for scrutiny, but there's still stuff we don't know about it, like what materials it uses and how it'll fare in the long run.
The rollout is a big moment for Verge, as it's now gearing up to receive feedback from riders out in the real world. The TS Pro with the larger battery retails at US$34,900 before taxes and fees. It'll naturally put Donut Lab's bold claims to the test as well, and that could signal the start of a major shift in vehicle battery tech across the globe. We'll keep an eye on this learn more about how Verge and Donut Lab fare out on actual asphalt.
Source: Verge Motorcycles (LinkedIn)
