Volcon was founded to build electric off-roaders, but it’s not vying for a slice of the battery-powered pickup segment. It plans to build smaller, nimbler vehicles developed purely for adventure, including a motorcycle named Grunt.
Based in Texas, the company wants to inject electric technology into the world of Powersports, which still relies extensively on gasoline. Currently, the segment is dominated by companies like Honda, Polaris, and Yamaha. Outdoors enthusiasts looking for a zero-emissions alternative to the RZR will need to muster a little bit of patience, because Volcon’s first series-produced model, the aforementioned Grunt, will land with two wheels and no roof.
Preliminary specifications published by the company are impressive. Riding on fat tires that give it a foot of ground clearance, the Grunt offers 75 pound-feet of torque, a six-second sprint to 60 mph (which is also its top speed), and, significantly, a usable 100-mile range. Charging its battery takes two hours when using a regular household outlet — the same one that charges your phone — and the pack can be swapped in the field with basic tools in minutes.
It sounds like the Grunt can hold its own off the beaten path, but it can also travel under it. Volcon intriguingly claims the bike can be operated underwater, presumably without a snorkel, meaning it can function as a personal submarine if needed. Gasoline-powered motorcycles can’t do that, because the engine would suck in water instead of air. Keep in mind that, while the electric motor doesn’t need air, your lungs do, and oxygen tanks are not included.
Volcon will manufacture its two-wheelers on the outskirts of Austin, Texas, a city that’s quickly turning into a hub for electric vehicles now that Tesla has announced plans to build a factory there. Grunt production is tentatively scheduled to begin in the spring of 2021, and the company will start making a pair of side-by-sides named Stag and Best, respectively, later in the year. The Stag has two seats, while the Beast can carry up to four passengers.
Pricing for the Grunt starts at $5,995 before options. Adventurers who want to secure an early build slot can send the company a refundable $150 deposit, and $100 more gets you one of the first 50 bikes off the production line.
