Stark VARG SM launched as street-legal electric motorcycle with jaw-dropping specs
Stark Future, the Barcelona-based electric motorcycle startup that made waves with its motocross-focused VARG MX, is back with something new…. and this time it’s headed for the streets. Meet the Stark VARG SM, an all-electric Supermoto that blends track-ready performance with daily rideability in a way that might just redefine what street-legal e-motorcycles can be.
But don’t go thinking that this is just a VARG MX with turn signals slapped on. The VARG SM is a purpose-built electric Supermoto designed from the ground up for asphalt, with tighter geometry, updated suspension, and a whole lot of power – up to 80 horsepower, to be exact. At just 124.5 kg (275 lb), the SM boasts the highest power-to-weight ratio of any production Supermoto in the world.
Oh, and did I mention it delivers 914 Nm of torque at the rear wheel? That’s not a typo. That’s nearly 675 ft-lb of instant electric torque, delivered silently and smoothly. Stark says that should result in acceleration that is equal parts insane yet completely controllable thanks to a highly tunable powertrain and Stark’s intuitive onboard display.
Built for the track, ready for the road
The VARG SM draws its DNA from Stark’s competition-proven motocross platform, but digging deeper into the specs shows how the company refined their dirt experience into asphalt performance. This new model gets a complete Supermoto treatment, including custom KYB suspension, a forged aluminum subframe, high-strength steel frame, machined triple clamps, CNC-machined hubs, and Brembo radial brakes. The 48mm front fork is fully adjustable with 290mm of stroke, and the rear shock offers 303mm of travel, giving it the precision and feel needed to rail corners or careen around kart tracks.
Up front, the VARG SM features a newly developed triple clamp that enhances steering precision and front-end feedback, something Supermoto riders will appreciate when diving into tight apexes or threading through city traffic. Add in a set of sticky Pirelli Diablo Rosso IV tires (with options for Dunlop, Michelin, or Anlas depending on your climate or riding style), and you’ve got a machine that feels like it was tailor-made for twisty mountain roads or technical urban playgrounds.
Smart power, smart control
Powering the VARG SM is a 7.2 kWh structural honeycomb magnesium battery, the same kind found in the off-road VARG, but now tuned for more urban versatility. It offers a real-world range of around 81 km (50 miles) under the WMTC cycle. That might not be cross-country touring territory, but the company is banking on it being enough for commuting and light canyon carving in the right location, not to mention track-day stunts.
Recharging that battery is said to be quick and painless: the included 3.3 kW portable charger fits in a backpack, plugs into any standard outlet or EV wall plug, and fills the battery in just 1–2 hours depending on how deep into the pack the last ride wandered.
The motor itself is a carbon-fiber–sleeved PMAC unit with an integrated inverter, engineered for brutal motocross abuse but refined for the road. The result is said to be silky power delivery with massive torque, yet zero shifting thanks to the single-speed electric drivetrain. It’s motocross power, but scooter control – just twist and go. Riders can even customize everything from throttle response and regen braking to power output and engine braking, all through Stark’s Android-based “Arkenstone” display mounted on the bars.
Speaking of the display, it’s waterproof, shockproof, and fully connected. GPS navigation, OTA updates, live ride data, and full ride mode tuning are all a few taps away… no laptop required.
Built-in stoke and daily practicality
For all the hardcore specs, the VARG SM still remembers it’s supposed to be fun – and functional. The bike is street-legal in Europe, the US, Australia, and New Zealand, and it’s even A1 license compliant, making it easier for new riders. In some countries, you can legally ride it with just a car license thanks to the near-scooter legal classification. That opens up a whole new category of riders who might’ve written off motorcycles as too complicated, intimidating, or loud. However, it’d definitely be a good idea to take traditional motorcycle training classes before unleashing the higher power end of the VARG SM’s spectrum.
And while it can absolutely play hard, it’s also smartly equipped for the daily grind. You get a walk mode and reverse gear to help in tight spaces, a bar-mounted handbrake option for stunt work or accessibility, and built-in security layers. The LED headlamp punches out 4,000 lumens – which is said to be roughly three times brighter than anything else in its class – and the patent-pending integrated indicators are made from flexible optical silicone to handle everyday abuse without cracking.
Pricing and availability
The Stark VARG SM is available to order now through Stark’s global dealer network of over 500 shops, or directly from the company’s website. There are two versions:
- Standard (60 hp): $12,900 USD / €12,990 / £10,900
- Alpha (80 hp): $13,900 USD / €13,990 / £11,900
Canadian, Australian, and New Zealand pricing is also available, with minor regional differences and delivery fees.
The motocross VARG was Stark’s declaration of war on gas bikes, and now the VARG SM looks to be their full-throttle cannonball into the urban performance segment. It’s electric, road legal, and might just be the wildest street bike of the year.
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Environment
CNBC Daily Open: Major U.S. banks enjoy a blowout quarter — assuaging trade war concerns
The India-flagged oil tanker Desh Ujaala is pictured in the Gulf waters near Al-Basrah Oil Terminal (ABOT), about 50 kilometres offshore of Iraq’s southern Faw peninsula, on August 5, 2025.
Hussein Faleh | AFP | Getty Images
U.S. President Donald Trump said Wednesday that Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi told him New Delhi will stop buying oil from Russia, though the move will take time.
“[Modi] assured me today that they will not be buying oil from Russia. That’s a big stop.” Trump said at the press briefing in the Oval Office. “Now we’ve got to get China to do the same thing.”
He added that Washington was unhappy with New Delhi’s purchases of Russian crude because it allowed Moscow to continue waging its “ridiculous war” in Ukraine.
However, the U.S. president also said that the halt will not be immediate, and there will be “a little bit of a process,” without giving a clear timeline.
India’s external affairs ministry said Friday that the country’s oil import decisions are driven by efforts to protect consumers by ensuring stable energy prices and securing supplies.
The ministry’s priority was to “safeguard the interests of the Indian consumer in a volatile energy scenario,” External Affairs Ministry spokesperson Randhir Jaiswal said in a statement.
He added that India’s import policies are guided “entirely” by that goal.
Jaiswal said that India has sought for years to expand energy trade with the U.S. “This has steadily progressed in the last decade,” he said, adding that “the current Administration has shown interest in deepening energy cooperation with India. Discussions are ongoing.”
India and Russian crude
India’s imports of Russian oil have been a sticking point in the relationship between Washington and New Delhi. Trump slapped additional tariffs of 25% on India back in August, raising the total levy to 50%, while India has called out the U.S. for its trade with Russia.
“If India doesn’t buy [Russian] oil, it makes [ending the war] much easier,” Trump said. “They assured me within a short period of time, they will not be buying oil from Russia, and they will go back to Russia after the war is over.”
On Thursday, Brent crude futures climbed 0.82% to $62.43 a barrel by 10:31 p.m. ET, while U.S. West Texas Intermediate futures climbed 0.89% to $58.79.
India is one of the biggest buyers of Russian oil. Data from research firm Kpler shows Russia exports about 3.35 million barrels of crude per day, with India taking about 1.7 million and China 1.1 million.
New Delhi has defended those purchases, with Energy Minister Hardeep Singh Puri telling CNBC in July that New Delhi helped stabilize global energy prices and was encouraged by the U.S. to do so.
“If people or countries had stopped buying at that stage, the price of oil would have gone up to 130 dollars a barrel. That was a situation in which we were advised, including by our friends in the United States, to please buy Russian oil, but within the price cap,” Puri said.
Russian sales of crude oil have been placed under a price cap by the G7 nations and the European Union since Moscow’s 2022 invasion of Ukraine.
That price cap, set at $47.6 per barrel, aims to limit Moscow’s revenue from oil exports, constricting the country’s ability to finance its war in Ukraine.
Kia is about to go on the offensive. The automaker plans to nearly triple electric vehicle production in Europe within the next two years as it introduces the new EV2 and EV4.
Kia doubles down on EV2 and EV4 production plans
With the EV2 and EV4 joining the lineup, Kia will offer an electric vehicle for nearly everyone. The EV2 is Kia’s smallest, most affordable electric car, set to sit below the EV3.
Despite its compact size, Kia said the EV2 will “redefine urban electric mobility” with a flexible interior, its latest connectivity tech, and more.
According to Kia’s CEO, Ho Sung Song, the company plans to build about 100,000 EV2s at its Zilina plant in Slovakia.
“The average annual production of the upcoming EV2 is expected to reach around 100,000 units at the Zilina plant in Slovakia in 2027,” Song told Automotive News Europe earlier this month.
Kia is also scaling up output of its first electric hatchback, the EV4. By 2027, Kia plans to build over 80,000 EV4s at the Zilina plant. If you add in the EV4 Fastback or sedan models built in Korea, “the EV4’s combined global production is expected to reach approximately 100,000 units,” Kia’s CEO said.
Song explained that Kia aims to produce 100,000 EV2 and EV4 models globally each year, as this volume will be high enough to make them profitable.
The new production target is considerably higher than what Kia Europe CEO Marc Hedrich told Automotive News Europe in August.
Hedrich said that combined EV2 and EV4 production could account for 10% and 20% of the output at the Zilina plant in 2026, adding that a production goal of 20,000 to 30,000 EV4s “would certainly make sense” next year.
Officials from Kia Europe explained that production plans shifted after the EV4 received better-than-expected feedback following its launch in August.
Kia began EV4 production on August 20, marking a milestone as its first EV built in Europe. Kia is investing €108 million ($125 million) in the Zilina plant to produce the EV2 and EV4. The EV2 will join in 2026.
The facility has the capacity to build 320,000 vehicles, but Kia said output could be expanded to 350,000 with overtime.
Kia has yet to reveal final specs, but given the EV3 is about 4,300 mm (169.3″) in length, the EV2 is expected to be slightly smaller at around 4,000 mm (157″). That’s about the size of Hyundai’s entry-level EV, the Inster, at 3,825 mm (150″) in length.
Like the EV9 and recently launched EV5, Kia’s compact electric car features a more upright, crossover-SUV-like design.
Although Kia’s overall sales are down 3% in Europe through August, EV sales are up 56% to 71,179. The EV3 is driving growth as Kia’s second-best-selling vehicle behind the Sportage and as the seventh best-selling EV in Europe. Through the first eight months of 2025, Kia sold 45,269 EV3s in the region.
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