Verge Motorcycles has broken and created a new Guinness World Record by riding its Verge TS Pro electric bike the farthest on a single charge. The record-breaking 193-mile (311 km) journey was accomplished in London on March 22.
The record was set in actual traffic, as opposed to a closed-off test track. That’s rather comforting, considering most manufacturers resort to providing WLTP or estimated figures. This way, if you do consider getting a Verge model, you’ll know exactly what to expect.
Over the past few years, electric motorcycles have advanced rapidly. One of the biggest drawbacks associated with them has been poor range and lengthy charging times. Verge has addressed both of those concerns with this record run and by joining Tesla’s expansive charging network, as revealed in 2023.
Sam Clarke and Sara Sloman, two well-known EV influencers, were hired by the company to ride the bike throughout London in order to accomplish this goal.
The two riders alternated every hour, with the record taking almost 16 hours to break. In addition to passing through different parts of the city, the route led them through suburban regions within London's M25 ring road.
According to the company, the traffic circumstances during the world record attempt were typical of a major city, including zebra crossings, traffic signals, and the occasional traffic jams.
Considering traffic also offers more chances for regenerative braking to recharge the battery, this would have allowed the bike to travel farther than it could on a freeway. FYI, the TS Pro has an estimated 124-mile (200-km) highway range.
Verge collaborated with Webfleet, a vehicle management specialist, to gather information for the record's certification, the Automobile Association (AA) to make sure the bike could be operated, and a Guinness World Record official to validate everything.
At the end of the trip the riders had traversed 193 miles (311 km), and get this – around 7% of the battery charge was still left. Considering the Verge TS Pro can fast-charge from 0-80% in 35 minutes, I don't see why you can't do short-to-medium distance trips on the e-moto.
“This record is a concrete demonstration of what our unique technology and proprietary architecture are actually capable of,” said Lauri Laukkanen, Verge Motorcycles' CMO. “It is noteworthy that, even after setting a new world record, the motorbike battery still had about seven percent of charge remaining. That means that the bike could have gone on even further, but the team decided to stop to ensure the reliability of the data after driving for 16 hours and breaking the record."
No changes or alterations were made to the bike. Considering the TS Pro is the cheapest trim in Verge’s lineup, it makes a good case for the rest of its bikes, too: namely the TS Ultra and California Edition TS Pro.
Earlier last month, Verge undertook an ambitious 850-mile (1,366-km) journey from Monaco to Madrid, to make a case for its bikes' robustness, efficiency, and real-world performance. As of now, the company has not revealed any official information on the size or the type of the battery. But what about the rest of the bike?
It is perhaps one of the most distinct on the market with its hubless rear wheel, where the motor is located. Peak power is rated at 102 kW (136.7 horsepower) and torque at 737.5 lb-ft (1000 Nm), which is enough to propel the bike from 0 to 60 mph (97 km/h) in 3.5 seconds.
The bike weighs 540 lb (245 kg) – which might feel heavy for new riders, but it definitely won't be unmanageable. ABS, traction control, Brembo brakes, heated handgrips, a top-notch Öhlins suspension, and cruise control are all present
And of course, it comes loaded with technology, much like the majority of electric motorcycles. Customizable ride modes, diagnostic monitoring, GPS navigation, seamless cellular, Wi-Fi, and Bluetooth connectivity, AI-powered learning, are all linked to Starmatter, Verge’s proprietary software and intelligence platform.
Eight color options are currently available for the Verge TS Pro, which starts at US$29,900. The TS Ultra, its higher-performance sibling, starts at $44,900. Deliveries in the USA are slated for the third quarter of this year.
Source: Verge
