It’s almost time for GM’s off-roading Hummer EV to launch, and just in time because Volcon just unveiled the perfect electric two-wheeled off-roader companion to the Hummer in its Grunt. The Grunt is a compact fat-tire trail bike something like the electric counterpart to the Rokon Trailbreaker. If you’re the kind of tree-hugger that likes to head out into the wilderness to experience it firsthand, the Grunt might be the bike for you.
Available for delivery next spring, the Volcon Grunt has some impressive specs. The electric motor in this thing delivers 46 Nm of torque, can propel the little fat-tire monster to 97 km/h, delivers up to 160km of range per charge, can be recharged from a 120 socket in just two hours, and scoots from 0-97 km/h in just six seconds. It isn’t like those numbers are unheard of in the electric bike world, but considering its off-roadability, they’re pretty impressive. What is most impressive, however, is that this Texas-built motorcycle will only cost six grand in the U.S.! You can hardly get a good e-bicycle for that much!
The company even claims that the Grunt has swappable batteries, so if you buy a second battery module, you don’t even have to wait for the thing to charge, you can just pop in the new battery and get rocking again. That’s an electric motorcycle technology that isn’t used to its fullest potential, if you ask me.
With 12 inches of ground clearance, big fat knobby tires, and a huge injection of instant electric torque, this is a great candidate for trail mobbing pretty much everywhere. I live in the desert, and would really love an opportunity to run this thing through its paces in some remote areas of northern Nevada.
With stats like that, don’t mind if I’m a little sceptical of the thing until it hits the market. For now, all of that seems a bit too good to be true. I really look forward to one day being able to test one of these out to make sure everything they claim is fact, and hope that day is as soon as Volcon say it is.
Volcon CEO Andrew Leisner:
“Volcon was quickly funded with an oversubscribed seed round, confirming the enthusiasm for the category,” said Leisner. “Having grown up riding with my father and continuing that tradition on motorcycles and UTVs with my daughters, I am excited to help lead the evolution of the powersports industry with electric vehicles that enhance the outdoor experience while reducing our environmental footprint for future generations. Thanks to companies like Tesla, the electrification of the powersports industry is no longer a question of if, but when, and Volcon is positioning itself to play a substantial role in this rapidly changing environment.”
Leisner is former senior VP and managing director of Bonnier Motorcycle Group, which once included such brands as Cycle World, Motorcyclist, Dirt Rider, Motorcycle Cruiser, UTV Driver, ATV Rider, and Cycle Volta. It’s fair to say Leisner is a proper enthusiast with decades of experience riding on road and off.
Volcon says it is going to follow up the Grunt with electric two- and four-seat side-by-side sport utility vehicles called Stag and Beast. The company is currently operating out of a temporary production facility in Texas with eyes on a more permanent solution in the greater Austin area on the cards.