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The products showcased at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) often range from innovative and groundbreaking to improbable and outright outlandish. The motorcycles unveiled at the show almost always fall into the latter category. CES 2026 was no exception.
The state of things
Electric motorcycles are often ridiculed for two reasons: short ranges and long charging times. Solid-state batteries are viewed by many as the potential solution to those problems. That’s because the technology is more stable, more energy-dense, and faster to charge than lithium-ion examples. In that way, the transition to solid-state batteries is no surprise. What is a surprise is the brand that’s reportedly first to market with the tech.
Finland’s Verge Motorcycles is known for its all-electric TS platform. The hubless motorbike comes in several flavors, including the TS Ultra that originally debuted at CES 2023. Listed with a range of 233 miles and 0-to-80% recharge estimates of 25 minutes, the Ultra already seemed too good to be true. Verge only pushes its claims to the Nth degree with the new TS Pro model.
Prominently displayed at CES 2026, the TS Pro houses a 33.3 kWh solid-state battery (also available in a 20.2 kWh configuration) that supposedly nets 370 miles on a single charge. Per Donut, the company that produces both the hubless motor and solid-state power pack for Verge, the TS Pro “can charge in less than 10 minutes, delivering up to 60 kilometers of combined range per minute of charging.” If this is all sounding like a moonshot to you, you’re not alone.
It’s worth noting that automakers like BMW, Volkswagen, and Toyota are currently developing solid-state batteries. All three have yet to bring a consumer product to market. A solid-state battery even powered a version of Ducati’s V21L MotoE race bike, but the Italian OEM has no plans for mass production. Verge claims otherwise. As our fearless leader here at Common Tread, Lance Oliver, suggested, it seems unlikely that a “small company like [Verge] has done what major auto manufacturers haven't yet been able to.”
According to the startup, TS Pro units are available for pre-order now (33.3 kWh version starts at $34,900) and will deliver to customers by late Q1 2026.
If we get a chance to test a TS Pro properly and we find out the claims are true, we will apologize for our skepticism. So far, however, Verge has only offered the opportunity to do a supervised ride on one of their motorcycles that wouldn't allow us to do a complete evaluation. But we're still talking with company representatives and hope to arrange a proper test soon.
Fly by night
We’ve seen this story before. Actually, it’s starting to become a CES trend. I’m talking about flying motorcycles, of course. This year’s personal eVTOL (electric vertical take-off and landing) aircraft comes in the form of LEO Flight’s JetBike. The company touts the model as “built around safety,” even labeling it as “practical personal flight.” It’s application is anything but.
Powered by “propeller-free electric jet propulsion,” the JetBike flies as high as 15 feet and reaches up to 60 mph (both electronically limited). The vehicle’s solid-state battery — yes, it has one, too — benefits from home charging capabilities, but that power unit only lasts up to 10 to 15 minutes. Like most flying motorcycles recently introduced, the JetBike requires no license to operate.
Still, the most eye-popping figure is the $99,900 base price, and interested parties can reserve a unit for the low price of $999. Something tells me LEO Flight won’t need to produce many JetBikes in the coming year.
Through a lens darkly
The biggest news to come from Hero MotoCorp didn’t concern a current model, but future bikes instead. The Indian manufacturer announced a partnership with Valeo. One that will bring the French auto parts supplier’s radar and smart camera technologies to Hero’s motorcycles and scooters.
The Advanced Rider Assistance Systems (ARAS) will feature electronic safety aids like Forward Collision Warning (FCW), Distance Warning (DW), Lane Change Assist (LCA), Blind Spot Detection (BSD), and Rear Collision Warning (RCW). However, the addition of high-resolution cameras also unlocks features like Pedestrian Detection, Lane Detection, Traffic Sign Recognition, and Lane Departure Warning. The system won’t just identify road signs and hazards, but it will do so in low-light conditions.
Now, we’ll have to wait and see how Hero applies Valeo’s car-based system to its two-wheelers, but that may be a story for CESs to come.
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