Motorcycles The Disruptors: TarformBrooklyn Startup Tarform looks to become a major player in the electric motorcycle market with a modular, sustainably produced, artificially intelligent EV.

Words Julia LaPalme

While the first electric vehicles were invented in late 1800s, it has been gas-powered vehicles that have ruled the roadways for over a century. But there is a growing movement determined to change that, and over the past two decades, electric vehicles have slowly slipped into the mainstream as the public’s impression of EVs has improved. People are now more aware of the effects of noise and exhaust pollution, and the cost of owning and operating a gas-powered vehicle is driving more traffic toward EVs. Technological advances, cost of operations, and other barriers to entry have been lowered, making it easier to enter the market; as a result, a handful of boutique motorbike and motorcycle companies have emerged. Each of the following seven companies present their own electric motorcycles and e-bikes with a unique approach, hoping to make a lasting impression on the personal mobility market.

(2) Photographs of Tarform Motorcycles

TARFORM

A modular, sustainably produced, artificially intelligent EV from Brooklyn.

CEO and founder of Brooklyn-based Tarform, Taras Kravtchouk, first sketched his EV motorcycle concepts in 2016. Two years later, Tarform launched its prototype in two iterations: Scrambler and Café.

“Sustainability is a core value for Tarform,” Kravtchouk says. While developing its prototype, Tarform experimented with biodegradable plastic, hemp filaments, and 3-D printing. “During that process,” Kravtchouk explains, “we discovered a big potential to not only build an electric vehicle, but also to implement sustainable practices and be transparent in how we build these machines and the materials we are using. After the launch, we noticed that the people who are the most interested in owning a Tarform are technologists and creatives that are environmentally aware, but still want to experience the excitement of riding a motorcycle.”

Tarform is determined to not only make motorcycles more sustainable but also safer, and its prototypes include forward-thinking technologies like proximity sensors, blind-spot monitoring, and front- and rear-facing cameras. Even the bike’s sound is a safety feature: Tarform and famous Swedish composer Adam Nordén developed a noise synchronized with the throttle that increases in volume relative to speed. Tarform has already taken over 100 pre-orders for its Scrambler and Café, which should roll out later this year with prices starting at $18,000. Tarform shares tentative specs for two battery options: a 9-kilowatt battery with 129 miles of range, and a 13.5-kilowatt battery good for 168 miles of range and a top speed over 100 mph.

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